Philippines vows not to surrender 'square inch' of territoryPhilippines Presdient Ferdinand Marcos Jr delivers remarks during the Philippines 123 Signing Ceremony during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Week in San Francisco, California, on November 16, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos insisted his country would not give up "a single square inch of our territory", as Manila seeks to counter Beijing's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea. "As I have said before and I will say again, the Philippines will not give up a single square inch of our territory to any foreign power," Marcos said. "We will insist on the preservation of the sovereignty and integrity of the country while working closely with international partners." During their meeting last week, Marcos and Xi agreed that their disputes in the South China Sea should not be the "defining element" of their relationship, Marcos said earlier.

Source: Philippine Star November 20, 2023 15:48 UTC