Marcos hopes Chinese aggression will be avoided after MMCA

President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday expressed hope that Chinese aggressions in the West Philippine Sea would be avoided following the Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) among the Philippines, the United States, Japan, and Australia in the region. 

Speaking to reporters in Bacolod City, Marcos said Philippine officials continue to talk to their Chinese counterpart so that the tension in the region would no longer escalate. 

”I sincerely hope so. I really do. I really do. We’re trying everything. We continue to talk at a ministerial level, at a sub-ministerial level, at a people-to-people level– lahat ng maaari nating gawin, ginagawa natin para makausap ang Chinese leadership, ang Beijing, makausap sila na ‘wag na natin masyadong pag-initan pa. Mag-usap tayo nang mabuti para walang banggaan, walang cannon, water cannon,” Marcos said. 

Asked about the assessment on the maritime activity, Marcos said, ”Par for the course. The cruises that we are doing, something that have been planned for a long time, the interim reports that I am getting is that very useful talaga in terms of the interoperability so that each navy knows how the other navy operates.” 

According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the MMCA was joined by the Australian Defense Force (ADF), the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), and the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM).

The naval and air forces of the four countries conducted communication exercises and division tactics.

Activity participants included the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar with an AW109 helicopter, BRP Antonio Luna with an AW159 Wildcat ASW helicopter, and BRP Valentin Diaz from the Philippine Navy.—AOL, GMA Integrated News