MANILA, Philippines - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said the Philippines was open to cooperating with other nations, but stressed that respect for its sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction would always be "non-negotiable."

Marcos: Respect for PH sovereignty 'non-negotiable'

In his speech during the Manila Strategy Forum at the Solaire Resort and Hotel in Pasay City, Marcos said the most significant threat to the peace and stability was in the Indo-Pacific region, citing the "illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous actions" in the South China Sea., This news data comes from:http://www.jyxingfa.com

"First, like the United States, the Philippines is very much open to cooperating with its neighbors. We have many bilateral channels of communication and areas of cooperation," Marcos said.

"But in all of these, respect for our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction is, and has always been and will always be, non-negotiable," he added.