MANILA: In response to ongoing maritime tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared on Saturday that his nation "will not lose an inch" of territory.

The country of Southeast Asia expressed its displeasure this week over what it described as Beijing's "aggressive activities" that have fueled a protracted border dispute over the South China Sea.

In a speech at a reunion of military alumni, Marcos stated that "the country has seen heightened geopolitical tensions that do not conform to our ideals of peace and threaten the security and stability of the country, of the region, and of the world."

"No land will be lost to this nation, not even a square inch." In keeping with our constitution and international law, we will continue to defend our nation's territorial integrity and sovereignty. "To ensure the safety and security of our people, we will collaborate with our neighbors."

A request for comment was not answered by the Beijing embassy in Manila. The coastguard in China operated legally, according to the foreign ministry.

Marcos called China's envoy to a meeting on Tuesday to express his "serious concern" about Beijing's "increasing frequency and intensity of actions" against the Philippine Coast Guard and Filipino fishermen in the South China Sea.

Tuesday saw the filing of a diplomatic protest by the Philippines' foreign ministry after Manila's coastguard reported that China had fired a "military-grade laser" at one of its ships that was assisting a resupply mission for troops, temporarily rendering its crew on the bridge blind.

Marcos believes that the incident involving the laser pointer is insufficient to enact a mutual defense pact with the United States, a longtime ally.

According to Marcos, if we activated that, we would be escalating and ratcheting up the tensions in the region, which would not be beneficial.

Marcos claimed to have spoken with China's ambassador in Manila about what he perceived as the Chinese marine militia, coast guard, and navy's escalating actions, including the incident involving the laser pointer.

Only one month had passed since Marcos' state visit to Beijing, during which the two nations vowed to resolve differences amicably and expand their cooperation.

A global tribunal in The Hague in 2016 invalidated China's claims to large portions of the strategic waterway, which is used for about $3 trillion in shipborne trade annually.