SINGAPORE - Philippines President Marcos Jr. on Saturday became the first Philippine leader to deliver the keynote address at the inauguration of the 21st edition of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue in Manila. In his address, Marcos Jr. said that the Philippines' commitment to ASEAN centrality would remain a "core element" of its foreign policy. Marcos Jr. also described India as a friend and said that Manila would like to cooperate with New Delhi. Will continue. "We will strengthen our alliance with the United States and our strategic partnerships with Australia, Japan, Vietnam, Brunei and all other ASEAN member states," he said. They also announced continued strategic partnerships with other countries and expressed their desire for greater cooperation and collaboration in the future, not only in defence, but also in environmental, economic, people-to-people relations and sustainable development. Bridge the global conversation with our unique regional perspectives," the President said. "We will pursue even stronger cooperation with friends like the Republic of Korea [and] India," he said, adding, "Geopolitics should distract us from our fundamental duty Must not be distracted As civil servants, as public intellectuals, as politicians: working for our people and safeguarding the future for future generations, that is why we stand for stability, security and peace efforts," he added, adding that the maintenance of peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region will directly impact the development of South Asian states. "Similarly, the economic security of East Asia depends on the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and the East China Sea and Depend on unobstructed path.Stability of the Korean Peninsula and the Taiwan Strait. “Because of the geographical proximity and the presence of Filipinos in Taiwan, we have a legitimate interest in cross-Strait issues,” Marcos Jr. said, adding, “The Filipino people have a long history of brotherhood with the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. There should be peace and stability. Therefore, we will continue to urge all parties to exercise restraint on this issue," he said, adding that Taiwan has never been under Chinese authority, but the country's ruling Communist Party still claims it as part of its territory. does, and has threatened to take over the island. China's quest to emerge as a global power, including through force if necessary, has repeatedly become a cause for concern in the Indo-Pacific. Underscoring the importance of the Indo-Pacific and China's growing aggression, Marcos Jr. said the future of our region will be determined by human nations "The future of our region will be determined by many nations, each with its own unique experiences and aspirations. Will happen.Yet their respective agencies are being challenged by efforts to undermine our confidence in existing international norms," ​​the Philippine President said. "Second, strategic competition between China and the United States pervades the evolving regional landscape. Is. This rivalry is constraining the strategic choices of regional states. This competition is exacerbating flashpoints and creating new security dilemmas,” he said In April this year, India agreed to supply BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines as part of a USD 375 million agreement between the two sides in 2022. According to defense sources, its American-origin C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft is going to the Philippines to deliver the missile systems to the Philippines. is doing when there is tension between them.China's tensions have increased due to continuous skirmishes in the South China Sea. Three batteries of BrahMos missile system will be deployed by the Philippines in its coastal areas to avoid any threat in the region.