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President Bongbong Marcos answers questions from the media during his visit at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport on January 30, 2025. | Photo by Morexette Marie Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is open to making a deal with China if the latter wants the Philippines to remove its Typhon missiles on the disputed West Philippine Sea.
But it entails the following conditions: China must stop harassing fishermen, stop ramming Philippine vessels, and they should stop their aggressive and coercive behavior on the WPS.
Marcos made this comment during the sidelines of the Inauguration of the 2nd Runway at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) on Thursday, Jan. 30.
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The President told reporters that he does not understand why the Chinese government’s protests and comments about the purchase of Typhon missiles that were installed within the WPS.
“We don’t make any comment on their missile system and their missile systems are a thousand times more powerful than we have,” Marcos pointed out.
But he disclosed that he is open to making a deal with China if they want the Philippines to return the missiles to the United States.
“Let’s make a deal with China. Stop claiming our territory. Stop harassing our fishermen and let them have their living. Stop ramming our boats. Stop watercanoning our people. Stop firing lasers at us. And stop you’re aggressive and coercive behavior. And we’ll return the Typhon missiles,” said Marcos.
China had been repeatedly hitting the Philippines over its purchase of Typhon, a Strategic Mid-range Fire Systems, which had been placed over the WPS. It even warned the country’s officials that installing the missiles would only hurt the Philippines more