Philippine president tells Australia their strategic partnership is more important than ever

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told Australia’s Parliament on Thursday that the strategic partnership between the two nations was more important than ever with the rule of law and peace in the region under threat from China. Marcos told a special joint sitting of the two chambers during a state visit that the Philippines would not allow a foreign power to “take even one square inch of our sovereign territory.” It is a declaration he has often repeated since taking office in 2022 and refers to China’s disputed claims to the Philippines' territory in the South China Sea.