Philippines President Marcos Jnr: Taiwan conflict would involve the Philippines

The Philippines is likely to be involved in any conflict over Taiwan because of its proximity and the nearly 200,000 Filipinos working there, President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr told Japanese media on Monday, ahead of a state visit to Japan next week.

He said Manila did not want to be involved in any war over Taiwan, but would be forced to because of its geography.

“Except that if there is actual confrontation, if there is conflict, just looking at the map, you can tell that the northern Philippines, at the very least, is going to be part of that or will feel the effects,” he said.

He made similar comments last year, declaring that the Philippines did not want to go to war but would never order its vessels to withdraw from contested areas, following one of several coastguard encounters with China near Scarborough Shoal.

“Inevitably, despite our fervent wish to avoid any confrontation with anybody anywhere, [a] war over Taiwan will drag the Philippines kicking and screaming into the conflict. That is what I was trying to say. That’s why I don’t understand [Beijing’s response],” he said last year, angering Beijing.