Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. doubled down in his country's long-running maritime dispute with China on Thursday, vowing not to "cede one square inch" of territory claimed by Beijing.

Marcos also said the Philippines would inevitably be involved in a potential war over Taiwan, prompting Beijing to warn the U.S. ally against "playing with fire."

Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry by email with a request for comment.

Why It Matters

Marcos's remarks, given to the Indian news site Firstpost, came during a four-day state visit to India—his first since taking office three years ago. Marcos and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced they were elevating ties to the level of a strategic partnership and would strengthen cooperation in a range of areas,

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