Philippines Will Restore US Missile Launching System If China Stops "Aggressive"

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his country would return the Typhon missile launcher system to the US if China stopped its "aggressive behavior."

JAKARTA - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his country would return the Typhon missile launcher system to the US if China stopped its "aggressive behavior."

"Let's make a deal with China: stop claiming our territory, stop disturbing our fishermen and let them make a living," Marcos said according to a statement from the Philippine Presidential Communication Office.

"Stop hitting our boat, stop spraying water cannons on our people, stop firing lasers at us, and stop your aggressive and coercive behavior, and we will return the Typhon missile," Marcos said, adding.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning last month said the Philippines' Typhon missile from the US would "trigger tension" in the region.

China urged the Philippines to immediately "take back" the missile, he said.

Separately on Thursday, the Philippines announced the arrest of five Chinese nationals suspected of spying on Philippine coastal and naval guards (AL).

According to the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation, the five people are "sured to have been involved in aerial reconnaissance" by drone, collecting data on the Philippine Navy, and other espionage activities.

Earlier on January 17, a Chinese national, Deng Yuanqing, was arrested on suspicion of spying with two Filipino nationals.

Tensions between Beijing and Manila have risen in recent months over the South China Sea (LCS).

The 3.5 million square km area is traversed by global trade of around 11.3 billion dollars (Rp184.1 trillion) per year, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

China recognizes almost the entire LCS region, which overlaps with territorial waters of a number of countries, including the Philippines.