Philippines to return US missiles if China stops 'aggression'

Istanbul - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his country would return the Typhon missile launcher system to the United States if China stops its "aggressive behavior."

"Let's make a deal with China: stop claiming our territory, stop harassing our fishermen and let them earn their living," Marcos said Thursday (Jan. 30), according to a statement from the Philippine Presidential Communications Office.

"Stop ramming our boats, stop spraying water cannons at our people, stop shooting lasers at us, and stop your aggressive and coercive behavior, and we will return the Typhon missiles," Marcos said, adding.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said last month that the Typhon missiles the Philippines acquired from the US would "stir up tensions" in the region.

China urged the Philippines to immediately "withdraw" the missiles, he said.

Separately on Thursday, the Philippines announced the arrest of five Chinese nationals suspected of spying on the Philippine coast guard and navy.

According to the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation, the five were "believed to have been involved in aerial reconnaissance" with drones, collecting Philippine Navy data, and other espionage activities.

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

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

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

China claims almost the entire SCS area, which overlaps with the territorial waters of a number of countries, including the Philippines.