MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed appreciation on Friday (10 May 2024) for France’s proposal to conduct joint maritime exercises with the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea, highlighting its significance in upholding regional stability.
Speaking to journalists in General Santos City, the President remarked on the importance of international assistance in safeguarding freedom of navigation in the West Philippine Sea, where instances of Chinese intrusion have been escalating.
France recently joined the Philippines and several other nations in the inaugural “multilateral maritime exercise,” which concluded earlier this week.
With territories in the South Pacific, France aims to bolster ties with the Philippines as a means to counter China’s expanding influence in the region.
While Beijing asserts sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, including vast portions of the West Philippine Sea, an arbitral tribunal ruled in favor of Manila in 2016, rejecting China’s claims.
(Filed by el Amigo/MNM)
