Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has cautioned China against crossing the "red line" in the South China Sea, according to a BBC online report on Saturday.


Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated that the Philippines would regard the death of any Filipino citizen due to China's deliberate actions as nearly "an act of war" and would respond accordingly.Marcos made these remarks at a security summit in Singapore, attended by defense chiefs from around the world, including representatives from the US and China.

In response, a Chinese military spokesman accused the Philippines of unjustly blaming and attacking China.The longstanding standoff between China and the Philippines over territory in the South China Sea has recently escalated into a confrontation.

Manila has accused Chinese surveillance ships of firing water cannons at Philippine vessels, while Beijing asserts it is protecting its territorial sovereignty.

At the security summit on Friday, the Philippine president noted that although Filipino citizens were injured in recent clashes, there were no fatalities. However, he warned that if any deaths occur, the situation will deteriorate further.