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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PBBM: Meeting with Blinken not meant to win West Philippine Sea conflict

PBBM: Meeting with Blinken not meant to win West Philippine Sea conflict

Published Mar 14, 2024 04:33 pm

At A Glance

  • Marcos said that his meeting with Blinken on Tuesday aims to formalize the trilateral defense cooperation between the Philippines, Japan, and the United States.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic — President Marcos said that his upcoming meeting with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken aims to maintain peace in the West Philippine Sea and not win the conflict in the region.

President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (Yummie Dingding/PPA Pool)
President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (Yummie Dingding/PPA Pool)

Marcos said this ahead of Blinken’s visit to Manila on Tuesday, March 19.

In an interview here at the Prague Castle, the President said all the ongoing discussions are aimed at maintaining peace in the West Philippine Sea.

“It is really an ongoing process and that all of these discussions are really, as far as the Philippines is concerned, it is concerned with the maintenance of peace and South China Sea,” he said on Thursday afternoon (Prague time).

“With an eye not to winning any kind of conflict but really just to maintain the peace and to continue to defend sovereignty and sovereign rights of the Philippines when it comes to these international differences,” he added.

Marcos reiterated that the issue on the South China Sea is important since majority of the world’s trade passes through it.

“A safe navigation and passage of the South China Sea is important to international trade, as goes to 60 percent of international trade goes through that channel and we hope to continue these discussions,” he said.

On Wednesday, President Marcos said that his meeting with Blinken on Tuesday aims to formalize the trilateral defense cooperation between the Philippines, Japan, and the United States.

Blinken is set to arrive in Manila on March 18.

Related Tags

Bongbong Marcos PBBM in Europe Antony blinken South China Sea West Philippine Sea President Marcos
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