SUMMARY
MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. used his high-profile speech at a defense summit in Singapore to criticize China anew, saying that the dream of a peaceful South China Sea remains a distant reality because of the world superpower’s actions.
“Illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions continue to violate our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdictions,” Marcos said on Friday, May 31, at the Shangri-La Dialogue.
“Attempts to apply domestic laws and [regulations] beyond one’s territory and jurisdiction violate international law, exacerbate tensions, and undermine regional peace and security,” he added.
That statement was an apparent reference to China’s new rules that include detention for foreigners suspected of trespassing, a policy that coul…