PBBM: PH “Cannot Stay Out” in potential Taiwan Crisis 

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. stated that the Philippines “cannot stay out” if a potential conflict occurs in Taiwan.

The President noted the island nation’s close proximity towards the country, and thus risks being dragged in a regional or perhaps a global conflict.

“To be very practical about it, if there is a confrontation over Taiwan between China and the United States, there is no way that the Philippines can stay out of it. Simply because of our physical geographic location”. Marcos Jr. said in an interview with Indian news website First post on Wednesday. 

“And so if you think about it, if there is an all-out war, then we will be drawn into it. And I assure you with the greatest hesitation, but again, we will have to defend our territory and our sovereignty.” The President added.

Besides geography, another reason is the Overseas Filipino Workers in Taiwan, which in an event, shall be in need of rescue along with refugees from the island.

“We will have to go in there, or find a way to go in there and to bring our people home, as we do whenever they find themselves in areas of conflict. And that for me would be the most considerable concern for us, at least in the early days”. Marcos Jr. said

“And so that’s why I say we would immediately mobilize everything that we could to bring our people out. And that’s not an easy thing to do considering that you are in the middle of a combat zone”. The President added.

‌Tensions in Taiwan and the aggressive China’s illegal claims in the sea are considered as potential flashpoint of a next global war.