President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. on Saturday vowed to uphold the Philippines' sovereignty and said it "will not lose an inch" of territory.

Marcos made the remark following the laser-pointing incident involving the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

"This country will not lose one inch of its territory. We will continue to uphold our territorial integrity and sovereignty in accordance with our Constitution and international law," Marcos said in his speech during the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Alumni Homecoming 2023 in Baguio City.

The chief executive emphasized that the "heightened geopolitical tensions" do not conform with the ideals of the country, regions, and the entire world.

"We will work with our neighbors to ensure the safety and security of our people," Marcos said.

It can be recalled that after the CCG reportedly directed a military-grade laser toward the PH ship last February 6, China denied the allegation.

It asserted that it was the PCG ship that "intruded into the waters of the Ren'ai Reef without Chinese permission."

Earlier this week, Marcos summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to express "serious concern" over the recent incident.

The country through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) filed a diplomatic protest against China.

From June 2022, or since the Marcos administration began, 76 diplomatic protests have been submitted to China, according to DFA.