Duterte to raise South China Sea ruling with Beijing, says won't 'barter away' territory

From InterAksyon (Oct 16): Duterte to raise South China Sea ruling with Beijing, says won't 'barter away' territory



President Duterte and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, at last month's ASEAN+3 meeting in Laos. REUTERS FILE.

(UPDATE, 8:04 P.M) President Rodrigo Duterte said on Sunday he would raise a controversial arbitral ruling on the South China Sea with China's leaders, and vowed not to surrender any sovereignty or deviate from the July award by the tribunal in The Hague.

Duterte said his trip to China this week represented a turning point in bilateral ties, but he acknowledged there was some public concern about his rapid rapprochement moves and reassured Filipinos that would not impact on the country's maritime sovereignty.

In comments that will not sit comfortably with the Chinese leadership, Duterte said the decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration would be talked about and the parameters of the award would be discussed, but there would be no "hard imposition" of it.

The ruling dealt a blow to China's extensive claims in the South China Sea. Beijing has refused to recognize the case and has chided any country telling it to abide by the ruling.

"I will not bargain anywhere, we will continue to insist that is ours," he told a news conference in his home city of Davao.

"The international tribunal decision will be taken up."

Won't 'barter' away Philippine territory

He vowed he will not "barter" away territory and economic rights.

China had rejected the ruling and claims nearly all of the strategically vital waters and has in recent years built artificial islands in the disputed areas that are capable of hosting military bases.

Duterte had earlier vowed not to "taunt or flaunt" the July ruling as he aims to improve trade and investment ties, which some critics warned could entail surrendering exclusive economic rights to the sea to Manila's powerful neighbour.

"I will be very careful not to bargain anything (away) for after all I cannot give what is not mine and which I am not empowered to do by any stretch of imagination," he told reporters in Davao city.

"The international tribunal's decision will be taken up, but there will be no hard impositions. We will talk and we will maybe paraphrase everything in the judgment and set the limits of our territories and (exclusive) economic zones."

During the election campaign, Duterte said he was willing to "set aside" the sea dispute in return for China building a railway through the impoverished southern Philippine region of Mindanao.

His willingness to launch negotiations with China over the dispute has been welcomed by Beijing.

Agrees with Justice Carpio

On Sunday Duterte said he agreed with senior Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio that the president could be impeached and removed from office if he gave away Scarborough Shoal, a fishing ground within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone that China seized in 2012.

READ ALSO: Carpio: With Malampaya gas gone in 10 years, PH must assert EEZ control in West PH Sea

"He (Carpio) is correct. I would be impeached. It's an impeachable offense. I don't fight with that statement. It's all correct it's all legal and so I agree with him," Duterte said.

"It belongs to the Filipino people. I cannot be the sole authorised agent, for that is not allowed under the constitution."

Since coming to power in May, Duterte's push to restore ties with China has been accompanied by fiery rhetoric against the United States.

He scrapped a series of annual war games and joint South China Sea patrols with the US military after President Barack Obama criticized Manila's brutal war on drug crime which has left more than 3,000 people dead.

Striking reversal of policy

The unpredictable president's moves to strongly engage China, just a few months after an arbitral award that sparked fears in the region of a backlash by Beijing in the South China Sea, mark a striking reversal in Philippine foreign policy since he took office on June 30.

Duterte goes to China on Tuesday with at least 200 members of the Philippine business elite to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance. Among the areas expected to be prioritized are financing for Philippine businesses, farm exports, major infrastructure investments and tourism.

It comes amid a torrent of anti-American comments by Duterte that have cast a cloud over a longstanding relationship with the United States.

While he continues to chastise and hurl abuse at Washington for expressing concern about his bloody war on drugs, he insists his strategic gambit is about abiding by a constitution that enshrines an independent foreign policy.

He spoke of his intention to "intensify" trade ties and work closer with China, but would not avoid discussing what is a bone of contention between them.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/133388/duterte-to-raise-south-china-sea-ruling-with-beijing-says-wont-barter-away-territory