Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered on Friday to remove a U.S. missile system from the Philippines if China halts what he called its “aggressive and coercive behavior” in the disputed South China Sea.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has proposed returning US Typhon missiles stationed in the Philippines if China ceases its aggressive actions in the South China Sea, Taiwan News reported. Speaking ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump,

Analysts say it the proposal was likely rhetorical rather than genuine, with little chance Beijing would ever take up such a deal.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday his government will remove a US missile system from the Philippines if Beijing ends its "aggressive and coercive behavior" in the contested South China Sea and ceases claiming Filipino territory.

The Philippines said on Saturday it has suspended a scientific survey in the South China Sea after two of its fisheries vessels faced "harassment" and aggressive behaviour from China's coast guard and navy.

President Bongbong Marcos claps back at China's criticisms of the deployment of the United States' Typhon missile system to the Philippines, stating that he would be willing to have the military hardware pulled out of the country if Chinese aggression in the West Philippines Sea stops.

The Philippines has launched a comic book to counter what the country says is China’s disinformation campaign to push its expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea.