He warned China not to cross a red line as their standoff in the South China Sea escalates.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has warned China not to cross a red line in the South China Sea, where a standoff between the countries continues to escalate.
If any Filipino died as a result of China’s wilful actions, he said on Friday, the Philippines would consider it as close to “an act of war” and respond accordingly.
Mr Marcos was speaking at a security forum in Singapore attended by defence chiefs from around the world, including the US's Lloyd Austin.
He stressed the region remained a main focus for Washington, and that the US was only secure if Asia was too.
The previous administration made and respected a gentleman's agreement in the area. This isn't a question of sovereignty, but of whether the Philippines is under an obligation to respect deals made by previous administrations.