Philippines can’t deny ‘shared DNA’ with Beijing even as South China Sea sours ties: Marcos Jnr

The Philippines is determined to rely on diplomacy to resolve the row with China, with which it has historical ties, President Marcos Jnr said in Australia

Even as Manila deepens its ties with Washington, he cautioned against viewing Asean nations as ‘pawns with no strategic agency’ in the US-China rivalry

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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr speaks after an address in Melbourne on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 8:07pm, 4 Mar 2024Updated: 7:25pm, 5 Mar 2024

While reiterating that his country would not surrender “a square inch” of its maritime sovereignty, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr on Monday said he was prepared to work with Beijing on challenges in the South China Sea through formal channels, in part because of their countries’ shared “Chinese DNA”.

Marcos Jnr made the comments during an address at an event in Melbourne hosted by the Lowy Institute, on the sidelines of the Asean-Australia Special Summit, but this time softened his oft-made stance by saying that Manila was determined to make its “bilateral mechanisms with China work”.

The Philippines and Australia conducted their first joint patrols in the South China Sea in November, with the aim of countering an increasingly assertive China.

The Philippines is one of several countries caught up in territorial conflicts with China over the disputed sea, with Manila accusing Beijing of committing aggressive acts inside the maritime boundaries of its exclusive economic zone and targeting its fishermen.

Marcos Jnr, however, said he would “not mind” if the Philippines returned to harmony with China, referencing their long history, including the establishment of bilateral relations in 1976 and their 600-year trading relationship.

“If we are to examine DNA, there are very few Filipinos with no Chinese DNA. My family actually makes much of the fact that we have, within our family tree, an infamous Chinese pirate who used to operate within the waters of the then South China Sea. That cannot be discounted,” he said.

“And that has always been part of our thinking as we look to China.”

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