Marcos Says Philippines Doesn’t Have a Choice but to Be Involved in Any War Over Taiwan

The president is set to travel to Japan next week, where he will meet with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and discuss China’s aggressive actions.

Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. takes part in a press conference during the 48th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Cebu, central Philippines, on May 8, 2026. Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP via Getty Images

Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said his country will inevitably be drawn into a conflict in Taiwan, given its proximity to the democratic self-ruled island claimed by Beijing.

“In the Philippines, we do not have a choice, because Taiwan is so close to the Philippines, and we have almost 200,000 Filipino nationals who are living and working in Taiwan,” Marcos said in a roundtable with Japanese media on May 18.