Philippines to boost diplomacy and defence capability

Countermeasures by the Philippines to China’s conduct in the South China Sea will entail strengthening its defence capabilities with allies and exhausting all diplomatic measures to resolve disputes, a security official said on Monday.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr last week said the Philippines would implement unspecified measures against “illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous attacks” by China’s coastguard, upping the stakes in an escalating row in the South China Sea.
“The proportionate, deliberate and reasonable response the president was talking about covered not only the aspect of strengthening military and defence capabilities with other allies …but it also talks about exhausting diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue,” National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said on state TV, describing the package as multi-dimensional.