PRAGUE, Czech Republic — President Marcos brushed off China's recent accusation that the Philippines is misleading the international community with the South China Sea issue, saying the Philippines did not start the problem there.

Marcos said this after Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that the Philippines should stop using the South China Sea issue to instigate disputes and count on external forces to undermine peace and stability in the region.

In an interview with reporters here in Prague, the President said he was not aware of any instance where the Philippines instigated disputes in the South China Sea.

"Well, I don’t know of any instance where the Philippines has instigated anything, at any point, both verbally, or militarily, or diplomatically," he said.

"We did not begin all of these problems. All of these commotions were not caused by the Philippines. So I don’t know what they are referring to," he added.

According to Marcos, they do not have the time to start problems in the South China Sea since they have been busy running the country and "making the best life for Filipinos."

In an interview in Berlin this week, President Marcos denied China's claims that the Philippines has rejected China's proposals on the South China Sea but questioned the premise which was supposedly based on the so-called Ten-Dash Line.

In a press conference, Wang denied that China never claimed that the entire South China Sea belongs to China, saying not everything inside the "dotted line" is their territory.

"It is not in line with the fact and is a deliberate distortion of China’s position,” he said.

"The Philippine side should stop misleading the international community, using the South China Sea issue to instigate disputes, and counting on external forces to undermine peace and stability in the South-South China Sea region,” he added.

Meanwhile, President Marcos reiterated the country's stand on the disputed waters following reports that China National Offshore Oil Corporation made an oilfield discovery with a volume of 100 million tons in the South China Sea.

"Once again the sovereignty and the sovereign rights and our territorial jurisdictions remain a key in all of these talks and we cannot, we cannot at any point somehow compromise the territorial integrity of the Philippines," he said.

"That is going to be the main principle behind any kind of talks that we might have. So depending on areas that we are talking about, that will come into play. So let me leave it at that," he added.

In an interview in Berlin, President Marcos said the Philippines' national territory is well-established and discussions between the two countries would not move forward as long as China insists on its conditions.

"Our baselines have been well-established for years now. We have the economic zone that China has already intruded upon and until that premise that China has made in terms of all these discussions with the Philippines, it is very difficult to see a way forward," Marcos said.