The Philippines’ Department of National Defense said Wednesday it "views with great concern the reported swarming" of Chinese vessels in the Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea.
“Our lines remain open to dialogue,” the agency said in a statement. “However, we maintain that activities which violate our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction, and undermine the peace and stability of the region, are unacceptable.”
The Southeast Asian nation under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has ramped up diplomatic protests against China amid continued incursions by Chinese vessels in the South China Sea. Marcos has pledged to resolve tensions while keeping its warm ties with Beijing.
“The President’s directive to the Department is clear — we will not give up a single square inch of Philippine territory,” according to the statement.
The Philippines is committed to a rules-based order in the South China Sea and “reserves the right to deal with any situation that violates or threatens our territorial integrity and sovereignty,” it added.