President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued a stern warning that the “willful” killing of any Filipino in the Philippines’ sovereign waters would be considered nearly an “act of war.”
This declaration came during the 21st International Institute for Strategic Studies-Shangri-La Dialogue defense summit in Singapore yesterday, May 30, following recent aggressive actions by the China Coast Guard against Philippine vessels.
Addressing a delegate’s question on potential “red lines,” Marcos emphasized, “Thank God we have not yet gotten to the point where any of our participants, civilian or otherwise have been killed. But once we get to that point, that is certainly crossing the Rubicon. Is that the red line? Almost certainly it’s going to be a red line.”
Marcos reiterated his stance from an April forum in Manila, highlighting that such incidents could trigger the Philippines’ Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States.
During his keynote speech, Marcos condemned the “illegal, coercive, and aggressive actions” in the South China Sea, urging respect for maritime rights based on international law.
“Unfortunately, this vision remains for now a distant reality. Illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions continue to violate our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction,” he said.
Encounters between the Philippines and China have intensified over the past year, with Beijing employing “grey-zone” tactics such as water cannons and ramming to disrupt Philippine missions.
Despite the rising tensions, Marcos called for peaceful resolutions and responsible management of US-China rivalry. “The continued stability of this region requires China and the United States to manage their rivalry in a responsible manner,” he stated.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the summit, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and China’s Defense Minister Dong Jun discussed the importance of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. Austin stressed this principle under international law, while Dong accused the US of inflaming regional tensions with its military presence.
Marcos underscored the destabilizing impact of US-China tensions on Southeast Asia, urging both superpowers to de-escalate and resolve disputes amicably.
“Their rivalry is constraining the strategic choices of regional states. Their contest is exacerbating flashpoints and has created new security dilemmas,” he said.
As the Philippines navigates this complex geopolitical landscape, Marcos’ remarks signal a firm stance on national sovereignty and a call for international law to prevail in the contested waters of the South China Sea.