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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Marcos seeks more multilateral ties to boost stand on West PH Sea

Marcos seeks more multilateral ties to boost stand on West PH Sea

Published Dec 17, 2023 07:56 am

Stressing the need to find new solutions over the increasing tensions in the West Philippine Sea, President Marcos wants to forge more alliances, particularly multilateral, with other countries.

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President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Photo courtesy of Yummie Dingding/PPA Pool)

Marcos said the Philippines and Japan entering into interoperability agreements is "not sufficient." Thus, he pitched that trilateral and multilateral agreements must be explored.

He stated that with the new problems arising in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippines is always open to the idea of finding new solutions.

“This alliance that we have come together with Japan is again, is to show, to help us rather, work together more closely. Because in the military, since there is a tactical operation that we really have to train with one another,” Marcos said in an interview with Japanese media on Saturday, Dec. 16.

“The so-called interoperability between the different forces and it doesn’t… it is not sufficient actually with just Japan and the Philippines to enter into this agreement. We really must get more of these kind of arrangements in place,” he added.

The President pointed out that there should be more of such agreements in place, both multilateral and bilateral levels, as he cited the trilateral agreement between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines.

These developments, he said, are manifestations of how countries are developing relationships in response to what they feel about the needs of the day, which were not part of their policies decades prior.

“I think that really is the pattern that we are seeing to emerge and that is how we are evolving. And that is very good example of evolution,” he said.

In the same interview, Marcos admitted that the Philippines has yet to find answers to the increasing tensions in the West Philippine Sea against China.

“I cannot say that we have found the answer yet. We are still trying to formulate that answer as we speak. And things are moving very quickly in many parts of the China Sea and so there are changes in terms of approaches, [the aggravations],” he said.

READ MORE: PH needs new solutions, alliances to address South China Sea tensions —Marcos

Related Tags

ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit West Philippine Sea President Marcos
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