Philippines seeking bilateral deals to avoid South China Sea conflict: Marcos

The Philippines are seeking bilateral agreements with Vietnam and Malaysia to mitigate the risk of conflict in the South China Sea due to the slow progress in reaching a regional code of conduct with China. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed concern over Chinese incursions into Philippine territorial waters and believes that alliances with neighboring countries are crucial to preserving peace in the region. Concerns of the President of the Philippines regarding Chinese incursions in the South China Sea The Philippines seek bilateral agreements with Vietnam and Malaysia to mitigate the risk of conflict in the South China Sea President Marcos expresses concerns about the escalation of Chinese incursions into Philippine territorial waters The BRP Sierra Madre was deliberately grounded as a Filipino military outpost to strengthen sovereignty in the surrounding waters Tensions between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea The presence of the ship has led to tensions between the Philippines and China. China has increased its military presence and built infrastructure on disputed islands. Filipino Marines continue to guard the outpost despite the challenging conditions.