Philippines not distancing itself from China — Marcos
Published Aug 14, 2026 03:38 pm
At A Glance
- President Marcos clarified that the Philippines is not distancing itself from China in terms of investments.
- He stressed that the Philippines remains open to investors no matter where they come from.
- He also pointed out that allowing the Pax Silica initiative into the country is an alternative for Chinese investments.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. holds a post-ASEAN Summit press briefing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Oct. 28, 2025. (Mark Balmores)
Despite the continued row in the West Philippine Sea, President Marcos said the Philippines is not distancing itself from China.
In an interview at the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) Presidential Luncheon in Manila on Friday, Aug. 14, Marcos clarified that Manila continues to be "very much in cooperation" with Beijing, especially in economic alliances.
"I don't think that that's in any policy statement that we are distancing ourselves from China. We are continuing to find many instances where we are very much in cooperation with China," Marcos said. "China is one of the biggest investors still in the Philippines."
The President recalled that when the war broke out in the Middle East, China was one of the countries the Philippines engaged with, stressing that China dealt with the engagement on "a purely practical, business-like, professional level."
"And all of these, shall we say, conflicting claims in the West Philippine Sea simply did not enter into that discussion. And so the idea that we are somehow distancing ourselves from China, quite the contrary," Marcos said.
Pax Silica, an alternative for Chinese investments?
The Chief Executive also refuted interpretations that opening the Philippines' doors to the US-led Pax Silica project is the country's way of shifting investments from China to other countries.
"I don't see it in that way. It's not a binary thing. It's not either-or in our case," Marcos said.
The Philippines, he further said, is simply open to investors no matter where they come from.
"Whenever someone is interested to come into the Philippines to invest, so long as it is to the mutual benefit of all parties involved, that for us, you say, is a good deal. And it is a good deal that we will enter into, no matter where it comes from," he added.
"If it comes from the U.S., if it comes from Europe, if it comes from China, if it comes from Japan, if it comes from Korea, if it comes from Canada, Australia, we engage with anyone," he added.
The President underscored that the country is interested in what benefits Filipinos in terms of jobs, investment, advancement of capabilities, technology, training, reskilling, and upskilling.
"And so long as we are able to move the economy forward and to better the lives of our people, then that is something that we will certainly examine," Marcos said.
"And if it turns out that that is a beneficial agreement or arrangement, then certainly we will become part of it," Marcos added.
Meanwhile, Marcos pointed out that he does not see the establishment of the Pax Silica project in the country as a way to exploit the country's minerals.
"I cannot see how another country can come to the Philippines and, for example, exploit our minerals without the agreement of the Philippine government," Marcos said.