MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is willing to have the United States’ Typhon missile system pulled out of the Philippines if Chinese aggression in the West Philippines Sea (WPS) stops.
In an interview with the media on late Thursday, the Chief Executive said he was surprised with China’s reaction on the military hardware, emphasizing that Manila had not commented on Beijing’s much larger missile arsenal.
“I don’t understand their comments on the Typhon missile system,” Marcos said. “We don’t make any comments on their missile systems and their missile systems are a thousand times more powerful than what we have.”
President Marcos said he is open to return the military hardware to US if China halts its aggressive actions and territorial claims over the Philippines.
“Let’s make a deal with China — 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,” Marcos said.
The statements arise in the context of persistent tensions in the South China Sea, where China has maintained its assertive maritime activities, including instances of intimidation directed at Filipino fishermen and coast guard members in disputed waters.
The Philippines has consistently expressed its apprehensions regarding China’s military presence and activities in the area, which Manila considers infringements on its sovereignty.
In April last year, the US deployed the Typhon missile system to the Philippines as part of the Balikatan military exercises, and it is reported that the system has remained in the country since then. This action has provoked strong objections from China, which has repeatedly demanded its withdrawal./PN
