MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine president said Sunday the country will not bow down “to any foreign force” after Chinese troops invaded the country. A Philippine Navy member was injured and at least two military vessels were damaged. The Philippines’ foreign minister warned that conflict in the South China Sea has seen clashes with Chinese troops armed with machetes, axes and hammers, but added that the Philippines would never instigate war.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., accompanied by top commanders and defense secretaries, visited the western island province of Palawan, which borders the South China Sea, to meet and present medals to naval personnel who were attacked by the Chinese coast guard while trying to deliver food and other supplies to outposts in the hotly contested South China Sea. Second Thomas Scholl.
Videos and photos of the chaotic clash released by the military showed Chinese coast guard personnel with sirens and blinding strobe lights hitting the Philippine Navy vessel with wooden sticks and seizing its bags. Beijing said its coast guard was forced to act after Philippine troops ignored warnings not to stray into what China calls its offshore territory. A claim that has long been rejected by rival claimant governments and International Arbitrator.
The violent clashes drew condemnation and alarm from the United States, the European Union, Japan, Australia and other Western and Asian nations, and China and the Philippines accused each other of inciting the conflict. Key advisers to President Marcos said Friday that his administration No plans to activate the Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States.
“We are not doing this to foment war,” President Marcos told the Philippine military, “and in defending our nation, we are true to our Filipino nature and want to resolve all these issues peacefully.”
During Monday’s shallow water standoff, President Marcos said “we have made a conscious and deliberate choice to continue on the path of peace.” Philippine military commander Gen. Romeo Bronner Jr. said members of the Philippine Navy Special Forces Group (PNW) used only their bare hands to push back the Chinese, some of whom were pointing knives.
“We will stand firm. Our calm and peaceful attitude should not be mistaken for acquiescence,” Marcos said. “History has shown that in the history of the Philippines, we have never bowed down to any foreign power.”
Chinese officials in Manila and Beijing had no immediate comment on Marcos’ remarks.
President Marcos praised the roughly 80 officers and personnel involved in Monday’s resupply mission, including one who lost a thumb on his right hand in a clash on the high seas, for “exercising the utmost restraint in the face of severe provocation.” He urged them to “continue to perform your duty to defend the country with integrity and respect, as you have done in the past.”
The territorial dispute involving China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan has long been seen as a factor that could drive the United States and China against each other if a standoff on the high seas escalates into armed conflict. The United States has repeatedly warned that it has an obligation to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Philippine forces are attacked in the South China Sea or elsewhere.
The Indonesian military also Chinese fishing boats fired at in past clashes off the Natuna Islands on the edge of the South China Sea.
