Philippines' Marcos Offers to Return U.S. Missiles If China Stops Harassing its Ships

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated on Friday that he is willing to remove a U.S. missile system from the country if China ceases what he described as its "aggressive and coercive behavior" in the South China Sea.

Marcos made the remarks a day after reports surfaced that China had urged the Philippines to withdraw the missile launchers following their relocation within Luzon. Responding to Beijing's concerns, he 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.”

He further challenged China to halt its territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea, stop harassing Filipino fishermen, and cease its reported use of water cannons, boat ramming, and laser targeting against Philippine vessels. “Stop all their aggressive acts, and I’ll take back everything,” he said during a media interview in Lapu-Lapu City.

The tensions between Manila and Beijing have escalated following repeated maritime confrontations. The Philippine Armed Forces announced earlier this week that a Chinese national and two Filipino accomplices were arrested for unauthorized surveillance activities. Authorities found high-precision mapping equipment and maps of key military and police facilities in their possession.

Additionally, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources reported that two of its vessels faced aggressive maneuvers from Chinese Coast Guard ships and a Chinese Navy helicopter while conducting marine research in Philippine waters on January 24. In recent months, multiple Philippine vessels have been subjected to water cannon attacks and other forms of harassment by Chinese forces.

The presence of U.S. missile systems in the Philippines is part of broader security cooperation between Manila and Washington amid rising tensions in the region. However, Marcos’ latest remarks suggest he is open to adjustments in military deployments if China alters its actions in the disputed waters.