President Marcos asserted the Philippines’ sovereign rights as he addressed the Australian Parliament Thursday, saying he would not yield against geopolitical challenges in the Indo-Pacific region in defense of the country’s territorial waters.
“I shall never tire of repeating the declaration that I made from the first day that I took office: I will not allow any attempt by any foreign power to take even one square inch of our sovereign territory,” President Marcos said in his speech.
“The challenges that we face may be formidable, but equally formidable is our resolve, he added.
The President urged Australia to join forces in facing the threats disrupting the peace, stability, and the rule of law in the region.
“Once again, we must come together as partners to face the common challenges confronting the region. Not one single country can do this by itself. No single force alone can counter them by themselves,” he stressed.
He emphasized the importance of the strategic partnership between the two nations, noting the collaboration would further strengthen the partnership “as it moves forward toward the storms of global volatility.”
“We must reinforce each other’s strengths. We must protect the peace that we fought for during the war and have jealously guarded in the decades since. We must oppose actions that clearly denigrate the rule of law,” Mr. Marcos said.
Australia is one of the two countries—the other one is the United States—in which the Philippines has a Visiting Forces Agreement.
President Marcos is in Australia for a two-day state visit. He will return on March 4 to participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Australia Summit.