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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has filed 52 protests against Beijing over the dispute in the South China Sea, stepping up efforts to resist Chinese aggression.
Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Teresita Daza said China is conducting marine science research into what the Philippines calls its “illegal presence” in the South China Sea, Bloomberg reports. He said a diplomatic protest had been filed.
The 52 diplomatic protests filed in the two months since Marcos Jr. took office are in line with predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, who filed 388 protests against China during his six years in power. It set a furious pace in comparison.
Philippines launches Ferdinand Marcos Jr.36 years since his father was kicked out of office
Amid the dispute between the two countries over the resource-rich South China Sea, protests erupted despite Marcos Jr.’s promises to ease ties with China. Although expressing a willingness to compromise on gas exploration, Marcos Jr. made it clear that the Philippines would not cede any territory to China.
Philippine leader also pledged to maintain the country’s military alliance with the US
Marcos Jr., who took office on June 30, is the son of longtime Philippine leader Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who led the country from 1965 to 1986. Marcos Sr. faces charges of human rights violations.
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However, Marcos Jr. defends his father’s legacy and denies claims that Marcos the Elder was a dictator.
“How many times have I been in this room where he was conferring with various groups?” Marcos Jr. said in an interview Wednesday at the presidential palace, according to ABC. “Dictators don’t consult. Dictators just say, ‘This is what you do, whether you like it or not.'”