Marcos on China’s 'meddling' remark: I think it’s for US

WASHINGTON —President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said he does not feel alluded to with the latest remark of China opposing any meddling in the South China Sea.

Marcos said the statement seems to be directed to the United States.

“Well, I do not think as representing as a Filipino and representing the Philippines, I don’t feel alluded to. How can we --- how can anyone say that we are not party and interest in all of these issues?” Marcos told reporters.

“So I think that kind of statement was directed more towards the United States than it was for the Philippines,” he added.

The Philippines and the US had established the bilateral defense guidelines between the two countries to modernize the alliance cooperation "for a free and open Indo-Pacific region."

The guidelines "reaffirmed that an armed attack in the Pacific, including anywhere in the South China Sea, on either of their aircraft or armed forces – which includes their Coast Guards – would invoke mutual defense commitments under the 1951 PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty."

Further, the Philippines and the US will expand cooperation on maritime security through but not limited to joint patrols.

Amid this latest development between Manila and Washington's defense ties, China expressed opposition to what it called meddling in the South China Sea to harm its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.

China also said the region should not be used as a “hunting ground.”

China has continued its activities and aggression in the resource-rich region despite an arbitral ruling which invalidated its massive claim in the area.—LDF, GMA Integrated News