Duterte: China ‘in possession’ of South China Sea

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Thursday said he opposes the conduct of military drills in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, adding that the area is in the “possession” of the People’s Republic of China.

Mr. Duterte made the remarks in Singapore amid a conference there by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first State Visit to country on Nov. 20 and 21.

In another development, two US aircraft carriers with around 150 fighter jets are scheduled to conduct “complex” warfare drills in the Philippine Sea northeast of the archipelago, the US Navy said on Thursday.

In a televised press conference in Singapore, Mr. Duterte was asked if it was wise to hold military drills in the South China Sea.

“No, because I said China is already in possession. It’s now in their hands. So why do you have to create frictions, strong fri[ctions], [or] a military activity that will prompt a response from China?” the Philippine president said.

He added that he does not mind other countries going to war, “except that the Philippines is just beside those [artificial] islands.”

“And if there’s a shooting there, my country will be the first to suffer. That’s my only national interest there. Nothing else,” Mr. Duterte said.

Also on Thursday, the US Seventh Fleet said in a statement that the Japan-based USS Ronald Reagan and the USS John C Stennis deployed from the US West coast are scheduled to carry out air, surface and anti-submarine warfare operations in the Philippine Sea.

“Bringing two carrier strike groups together provides unparalleled naval combat power,” US Seventh Fleet commander Vice Admiral Phil Sawyer said.

XI’s STATE VISIT

On Mr. Xi’s state visit next week, Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said on Wednesday that the visit “will put pressure on the speed [of ] the implementation” of China’s projects in the Philippines.

The first basket includes the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project, New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project, the Philippine National Railways’ South Long Haul Project, and the Davao-Samal Bridge Construction Project, among others.

The second basket has the Ambal-Simuay River and Rio Grande de Mindanao River Flood Control Projects, Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway Bridges Construction Project, Subic-Clark Railway Project, Safe Philippines Project Phase 1, and the Rehabilitation of the Agus-Pulangi Hydroelectric Power Plants Project. — reports by Reuters,

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