What Philippine President Marcos Said About China in His State of the Nation Address

ASEAN Beat | Diplomacy | Southeast Asia

His rhetoric was familiar, but carried additional weight in light of recent clashes between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.

Philippine lawmakers applaud while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his State of the Nation Address at the Philippine Congress in Quezon City, July 27, 2026.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ended his fifth State of the Nation Address on July 27 by making veiled remarks directed at China as he enjoined Filipinos to unite and defend the country’s honor.

Marcos mentioned China only once in his speech when he enumerated the countries that provided oil supply after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in March and April. But the last part of his speech alluded to the country’s defensive posture in the West Philippine Sea, even if he did not directly name China.