President Duterte said Saturday he would “set aside’’ a ruling by an international arbitration tribunal that invalidated Beijing’s claims to most of the busy South China Sea, because he doesn’t want to impose on China.
Duterte made the remarks when asked in a news conference if a US think tank report that China apparently installed anti-aircraft and anti-missile weapons on its new artificial islands in the disputed waters would affect his perception of Beijing. The Philippines claims the reefs that were turned by China into man-made islands.
Duterte, who took office in June, has taken steps to mend relations with China that grew hostile during the time of his predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, over the long-unresolved territorial disputes. The Aquino administration took the disputes to international arbitration in a move backed by Washington after China seized a disputed shoal in 2012.
“In the play of politics, now, I will set aside the arbitral ruling. I will not impose anything on China,’’ Duterte said.
He explained his position partly by repeating his threat to remove American forces out of the Philippines after the Obama administration criticized his government’s bloody crackdown on illegal drugs.
“I will demand that they go out of my country. What’s the use of keeping, hosting them when they think we are a bunch of criminals?’’ Duterte asked. “Go, go out. If you do not believe in us, why deal with us? Son of (bitches).’’
Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said Friday the Philippines won’t take any steps against China in response to the report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies late Wednesday that China appears to have installed weapons to guard against missile attack on its seven newly created islands. (AP)