Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says tensions with China in the South China Sea have increased in recent months. He suggests Japan and ASEAN should enhance cooperation in the field of security as they have been doing with economic matters.

Marcos Jr. sat down with NHK for an exclusive interview on Saturday in Tokyo. He is in the Japanese capital to attend a special summit marking 50 years of friendship between Japan and ASEAN.

Chinese government ships have recently been using water cannons on Philippine vessels and obstructing their navigation in the South China Sea.

Marcos Jr. says tensions with China in the region have increased in recent months and the situation has grown more complicated.

The Philippine president said the participants to the Japan-ASEAN summit must find a way to maintain the peace.

Marcos Jr. stressed that the Philippines will also deepen trilateral cooperation with Japan and the United States and seek to collaborate with more countries by conducting joint exercises.