Palace on new Chinese dredger: We need to rely on good faith

MANILA — Amid mounting suspicions that the world's biggest and most sophisticated dredger built by China would be deployed in the South China Sea or the Pacific Ocean, Malacañang yesterday said the Philippines could only "rely on good faith."

The Philippines claims parts of the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone and calls it the West Philippine Sea.

In a press conference, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the government's "decision" to trust China "remains unchanged."

Roque added that the maritime row was among the topics discussed by President Rodrigo Duterte during Monday's joint command conference with the police and military at the Palace. He did not elaborate.

"Well, the president recognizes the principle of good faith in international relations. China has told the president, they do not intend to reclaim Scarborough and we leave it at that," Roque said.

"We need to rely on good faith because otherwise there would be no predictability in international relations," he added.

The Department of National Defense earlier said it is closely monitoring China's launching of Tian Kun Hao, its biggest island-making vessel.

Described as a "magic island maker," Tian Kun Hao has begun water tests at the coastal province of Jiangsu.

The South China Morning Post quoted maritime security experts as saying the vessel could raise concern among nations with rival claims on territories in the South China Sea since it suggests that Beijing is preparing to reassert its dominance in the disputed waters.

Meanwhile, China's official media Xinhua quoted a Beijingbased military expert as giving assurance that "China will abide by the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea... and won't use the dredger to expand its artificial islands."