Philippines President says "more assertive" China poses challenge to Asian neighbours, calls for bringing new solutions

Manila [Philippines], December 17 : Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr highlighted the significance of addressing the challenges posed by a "more assertive" China, emphasizing the need for the Philippines and its Asian neighbors to devise "new solutions," CNN Philippines reported.
Speaking to Japanese media on Saturday, Marcos said that the tensions in the South China Sea "have increased rather than diminished for the past months or the past years," CNN reported citing Presidential Communications Office.
He emphasized the importance of advocating for peace and continuous communication among the involved countries, despite the increasing complexities of the South China Sea issue.
He further said, "[T]hat's why we have to--but we continue to counsel peace and continue communication between the different countries--everyone that is involved," CNN Philippines reported.
Marcos is on a visit to Japan to attend the Commemorative Summit for the 50th Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.
Marcos acknowledged the global context, referencing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict as a tragedy and recognizing the reluctance of any country to initiate new conflicts, especially in Asia.
He stressed the complexity of the South China Sea issue and added that no country in the world wants to start a new conflict, particularly Asia, considering the ongoing war between Russi and Ukraine, which he called a "tragedy." He further said the Philippines is ready to find "new solutions" to new problems.
He said, "I cannot say that we have found the answer yet. We are still trying to formulate that answer as we speak. And things are moving very quickly in many parts of the China Sea and so there are changes in terms of approaches, [the aggravations]," according to CNN Philippines report.
Marcos hailed the increasing collaboration between the Philippines and Japan, terming it a "very good example of evolution." He further said the trilateral agreement between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines is not enough and emphasised that there should be more agreements at multilateral and bilateral levels.
In 2016, an arbitral tribunal established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea declared China's claims in the South China Sea, which overlapped with the West Philippine Sea (WPS), null and void. However, China continues to harass vessels of vehicles in Manila's exclusive economic zone.
Last week, a commissioned Philippine vessel on a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal in WPS sustained "serious engine damage" after the China Coast Guard (CCG) blasted it with a water cannon. The Armed Forces of the Philippines asserted that it was "short of armed attacks," CNN Philippines reported.
In at least three instances in August and November, CCG ships fired water cannons at Philippine Coast Guard vessels while they were heading to Ayungin Shoal. On October 22, China tried to block another resupply trip which caused a collision between a CCG vessel and a Filipino resupply boat.