Philippines Warns China: South China Sea Clashes Could Lead to War

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared that any Chinese aggression resulting in the death of a Filipino citizen near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea would be considered "very, very close to what we define as an act of war." This statement, made at the Shangri-La Dialogue defense summit, underscores the tension between the Philippines and China, and the potential implications for U.S.-China relations due to the mutual defense treaty between the Philippines and the United States.