Philippines says it won’t back down, but won’t start a war, after clash with Chinese Coast Guard

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The president of the Philippines says his country will not yield to “any foreign power” after Chinese forces injured Filipino navy personnel and damaged at least two military boats with machetes, axes and hammers in a clash in the disputed South China Sea, but added the Philippines will never instigate a war. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. flew with his top generals and defense chief to the western island province of Palawan on Sunday to meet and award medals to navy personnel who came under assault by the Chinese coast guard Monday as they attempted to deliver food and other supplies to an outpost on the hotly contested Second Thomas Shoal.