Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said the Philippines does not want to be involved in any war over Taiwan but would be forced to be, given its geography.
– The Philippines would likely be involved in any potential conflict over Taiwan due to its proximity, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said, reiterating a stance that risks riling Beijing.
“In the Philippines, we do not have a choice because Taiwan is so close to the Philippines and we have almost 200,000 Filipino nationals living and working in Taiwan,” Mr Marcos said in an interview with Japanese media in Manila on May 18 .
Ms Takaichi in late 2025 also made comments about being pulled into a conflict over Taiwan, causing a deep diplomatic rupture with China.
He didn’t elaborate on how the Philippines, a US treaty ally, would be involved or how it would be affected.
Mr Marcos has made similar comments on Taiwan before, angering Beijing in 2025 when he said a war over Taiwan “will drag the Philippines kicking and screaming into the conflict”.
The South-east Asian nation under Mr Marcos has hosted US missile systems and has granted US military access to additional bases, including those near Taiwan. »