Marcos aware of need to go beyond diplomatic protests vs China --- Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — After nearly two years of dealing with repeated skirmishes in the West Philippine Sea, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. believes the Philippines must do more than file diplomatic protests to address Chinese vessels' aggression at sea. Marcos told reporters at the sidelines of an event on Thursday that the country has filed "over a hundred" protests and a similar number of démarches to respond to Chinese vessels' presence in Philippine waters. "We have to do more than just that," Marcos said, according to a Presidential Communications Office news release. On Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said the Philippines and China are preparing to hold a bilateral consultation mechanism meeting in July. During this meeting, escalating tensions between the two nations in the South China Sea, the entirety of which China claims, are expected to be brought up. "Whatever confidence-building measures we achieve, they will be not at the expense of promotion of our sovereignty, sovereign rights, as well as our rights and jurisdiction on the West Philippine Sea," Manalo said. Marcos earlier assured the public that the Philippines will not resort to war in addressing issues in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). He said that the country will address issues related to the disputed region through "peaceful means." This comes after a June 17 altercation where Chinese vessels foiled Philippine forces' resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre, which was deliberately grounded atop Ayungin Shoal in 1999 to assert Manila's territorial claim. During the altercation, a Philippine Navy servicemember, Seaman First Class Underwater Operator Jeffrey Facundo, lost his thumb.

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