Marcos to China: Want U.S. missiles out? Stop claiming our territory

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has issued a direct challenge to China: Stop harassing Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea, and the United States’ Typhon missile system stationed in the Philippines will be withdrawn.

Marcos’ offer, made on January 30, was in response to Beijing’s continued objections to the presence of the American missile system on Philippine soil. The president’s remarks underscore the intensifying tensions between the two nations over territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the Philippines’ defense partnerships with the U.S.

In an ambush interview on the sidelines of a visit to Mactan Airport in Cebu province, Marcos was asked about China’s response to the deployment of the Typhon missile system, which has remained in the Philippines since April 2024.

The Typhon system, equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of striking targets in China and Russia, has become a point of contention for Beijing, which views its presence as a destabilizing force in the region. In contrast, Marcos expressed confusion over China’s objections, pointing out the disparity in military power between the two countries.

“I don’t understand their comments on the Typhon Missile System,” Marcos said. “We don’t make any comments on their missile system, and their missile systems are a thousand times more powerful than what we have.” 

Marcos then offered a straightforward solution to the ongoing issue: If China stops its aggressive behavior in the West Philippine Sea, the Typhon missile system will be returned to the U.S.

“Let’s make a deal with China,” Marcos proposed. “Stop claiming our territory, stop harassing our fishermen and let them have a living, stop ramming our boats, stop water cannoning our people, stop firing lasers at us, and stop your aggressive and coercive behavior, and I’ll return the Typhon missiles. If they stop what they are doing, I’ll return the Typhon to the U.S.”

This offer comes amid mounting tensions between China and the Philippines over control of the West Philippine Sea, a region rich in resources and strategically important. China has long maintained a broad territorial claim over nearly the entire South China Sea, which includes areas recognized by the Philippines as part of its exclusive economic zone.

The Philippine government, backed by an international arbitration ruling in 2016, has refused to acknowledge China’s claims and continues to assert its rights to the region.

The Typhon missile system has been a focal point in this dispute since its arrival in the Philippines last year. Deployed initially as part of a joint military exercise between Philippine and U.S. forces, the missile system has remained in the country, much to China’s displeasure.

In January, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning once again called for the missile system’s removal, claiming that its presence was exacerbating tensions and contributing to an arms race in the region.

“We once again call on the Philippines to heed the call from regional countries and their peoples, correct the wrongdoing as soon as possible, quickly pull out the Typhon missile system as publicly pledged, and stop going further down the wrong path,” Mao said on January 25, just days after reports surfaced about the relocation of the missile system to a new site in Luzon.

For its part, the Philippine military has rejected China’s demands. The Philippine Army has made it clear that the missile system will not be used for live-fire exercises in the upcoming drills but will instead be part of training focused on payload delivery. 

The Armed Forces of the Philippines also asserted its autonomy in defense matters, stating that no foreign power would dictate the country’s defense strategy.

“No single entity can dictate how we would do our deployments in terms of our defenses,” said the Philippine military.

Hourly radio challenge to assert sovereignty

While military tensions rise, so too does the maritime standoff in the West Philippine Sea. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) continues to assert its authority over the disputed waters, issuing hourly radio challenges to a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel near Zambales.

On the night of January 29, PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela confirmed that the Philippine vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua had been issuing hourly radio challenges to a Chinese vessel, CCG-3304, which was operating unlawfully within Philippine waters.

“We are actively and resolutely addressing the unlawful presence of the China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 3304 within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ),” said Tarriela. The PCG emphasized that the Chinese vessel’s actions were in direct violation of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which China is a signatory.

Despite Beijing’s continued assertion of sovereignty over much of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, the Philippines stands firm in rejecting these claims. The PCG also regularly updates the public on Chinese activities, ensuring Filipinos stay informed and showing China that the Philippines will not tolerate its unlawful presence.

Tarriela has made it clear that the PCG will maintain a peaceful, professional stance while challenging China’s aggressive actions, in line with President Marcos’ directive to avoid escalation. 

“We’re going to stick to our mandate: That is, to challenge the illegal presence of the CCG,” Tarriela added, stressing that the Philippines would continue to uphold its territorial integrity despite China’s provocative actions.

Photo credit: Presidential Communications Office. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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