Filipinos split on Marcos’ South China Sea handling amid row over Jing Quan’s remarks

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A survey finds Filipinos nearly evenly divided over President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s handling of the maritime dispute with China, while almost three-quarters favor diplomacy over confrontation. The dispute has been compounded by a diplomatic row over remarks by China’s ambassador to the Philippines ahead of the ASEAN summit.

Filipinos are almost evenly divided over the Marcos administration’s handling of the maritime dispute with China, even as nearly three in four favour diplomacy over confrontation, according to a new survey. That preference has taken on added significance after recent remarks by China’s ambassador to Manila sparked a diplomatic row ahead of November’s Asean summit. The feud underscored the challenge of managing tensions with Beijing, and increasingly hostile rhetoric could make the diplomatic...