DUTERTE TELLS CHINA TO BEHAVE

China has no right to claim airspace above man-made South China Sea islands, says Philippine leader

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has urged China to “temper” its behaviour in the South China Sea in a rare criticism of the Asian superpower over its programme of island-building in disputed waters.

China has alarmed and angered neighbours by claiming dominion over most of the South China Sea and building a string of artificial islands and military airbases.

But the outspoken Duterte, keen to court trade and investment from Beijing, has mostly withheld criticism.

In a change of tone, Duterte said in a speech late on Tuesday to business entrepreneurs that China had no right to claim airspace above man-made islands.

Philippine officials claimed military pilots were repeatedly warned off by Beijing as their planes approached Philippine-held Thitu island, which is beside a Chinese air base built on Subi Reef.

“You cannot create an island. It’s man-made and you say that the air above this artificial island is yours,” Duterte said, according to a transcript released by the presidential palace yesterday.

“That is wrong because those waters are what (one) would consider international sea. And the right of innocent passage is guaranteed,” said Duterte, who did not refer to any specific incident.

He said he did not want to “quarrel” with China.

The comments followed allegations in May of Chinese harassment of Filipino troops at another South China Sea garrison.

Duterte’s national security adviser, Hermogenes Esperon, had said the Philippines could go to war “if our people are hurt there”.

In May, China landed several combat aircraft, including the long-range, nuclear-capable H6K, at another island airfield in the sea for the first time, triggering international concern.

Despite this, it has denied militarising the area, through which roughly a third of all global maritime trade passes.