Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered to remove a U.S. missile system from the Philippines if China halts what he called 'aggressive and coercive behavior' in the South China Sea.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. clapped back at China’s criticisms of the deployment of the United States’ Typhon missile system to the Philippines, stating that he would be willing to have the military hardware pulled out of the country if Chinese aggression in the West Philippines Sea (WPS) stops.

President Ferdinand Marcos said Thursday his government will remove a US missile system from the Philippines if Beijing ends its "aggressive and coercive behaviour" in the contested South China Sea and ceases claiming Filipino territory.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday challenged China to stop its 'aggressive and coercive behavior' and its claiming of territory in the West Philippine Sea and said he would return a Typhon missile system to the United States.

The arrests come as confrontations between the two Asian neighbours over contested reefs and waters in the strategic South China Sea have escalated in recent months

The Philippines has launched a comic book to counter what the country says is China’s disinformation campaign to push its expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea.