Marcos says the Philippines can be pulled into any warfare over Taiwan, regardless of Chinas protest

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated on Monday (August 11, 2025) his nation would inevitably be drawn “kicking and screaming” into any warfare over Taiwan as a consequence of its proximity to the self-ruled island and the presence of huge numbers of Filipino staff there, regardless of China’s sturdy protest over such remarks.

Mr. Marcos additionally advised a information convention that the Philippines’ coast guard, Navy and different vessels defending its territorial pursuits within the South China Sea would by no means again down and would stand their floor within the contested waters after the Chinese coast guard on Monday (August 11, 2025) staged harmful blocking manoeuvres and used a robust water cannon to attempt to drive away Philippine vessels from the hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal.

It’s the newest flare-up of long-simmering territorial disputes within the busy waterway, a key international commerce route, the place overlapping claims between China and the Philippines have escalated in recent times. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan additionally lay claims to components of the contested waters.

Relations between China and the Philippines have been severely strained after Mr. Marcos, who took workplace in mid-2022, and his administration emerged as a few of the most vocal critics in Asia of China’s more and more aggressive actions within the South China Sea.

The Marcos administration deepened its treaty alliance engagements with the United States and began broadening safety alliances with different Western and Asian nations, comparable to Japan, Australia, India, and a few EU member states to strengthen deterrence in opposition to Beijing’s assertiveness.

China protested final week and accused Mr. Marcos of interfering in its home affairs and violating its “One China” coverage when he advised reporters on the sidelines of a go to to India that there was no means the Philippines may keep out of a potential warfare in Taiwan due to his nation’s proximity to it and the presence of about 200,000 Filipino staff on the self-ruled island. China claims Taiwan as its personal territory and has repeatedly threatened to annex it, by pressure if vital.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry then stated by a spokesperson that ‘geographic location’ and a ‘massive quantity of Filipinos’ in Taiwan shouldn’t be used as pretexts to intrude within the inside and sovereign affairs of different nations” and urged the Philippines “to earnestly abide by the One China precept” and “chorus from taking part in fireplace on points bearing on China’s core pursuits.”

Asked to touch upon China’s protest, Mr. Marcos stated he was perplexed and couldn’t perceive Beijing’s concern. “I don’t know what they’re speaking about, taking part in with fireplace? I used to be simply stating info. We don’t need to go to warfare, however I believe if there’s a warfare over Taiwan, we can be drawn, we can be pulled in, whether or not we prefer it or not, kicking and screaming,” Mr. Marcos stated. “We can be drawn and dragged into that mess. I hope it doesn’t occur, however, if it does, we have now to plan for it already,” he added.

Separately, Philippine Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tarriela stated Chinese coast guard ships chased and staged harmful blocking manoeuvres on Monday in opposition to Philippine coast guard and fishing vessels within the Scarborough Shoal, a wealthy fishing atoll within the South China Sea off the northwestern Philippines. A Philippine coast guard ship managed to evade being hit by a Chinese coast guard water cannon in the course of the melee, he stated.

While chasing a Philippine coast guard vessel, a Chinese coast guard ship by chance collided with a Chinese navy ship, Mr. Tarriela stated. The Chinese coast guard ship sustained “substantial injury”, and the Philippine coast guard provided to supply assist, together with medical help, to the Chinese facet, he stated. There was no rapid remark from Chinese officers on Mr. Tarriela’s statements.

When requested if the Philippine vessels can be instructed to withdraw from the disputed shoal, Mr. Marcos stated his authorities would by no means again away from any combat. “There isn’t any silver bullet that should you fireplace it, all our issues can be solved,” Mr. Marcos stated. “What will occur is, we are going to proceed to be current, we are going to proceed to defend our territory, we are going to proceed to train our sovereign rights, and regardless of any opposition from anybody, we are going to proceed to try this as we have now performed up to now three years.”