The Philippine Star

‘Duterte aware of Chinese missiles in Spratlys’

- By CHRISTINA MENDEZ

President Duterte is aware of the presence of Chinese missiles on the Spratly islands in the South China Sea but there is no point in waging a war against Beijing, Malacañang insisted yesterday.

Duterte noted that China had built an airstrip and other military installati­ons in the area, which is being questioned by Vietnam.

“There is an airport. There are business there installed. There are military equipment already in place. So what’s the point of questionin­g whether the planes there land or not. There’s an airstrip,” he said.

Presidenti­al spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the Philippine­s would not be joining Vietnam’s call on Beijing to remove its missiles in the South China Sea.

Roque said Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano also brought the issue before the Philippine-China bilateral consultati­on committee in February when the two countries agreed to continue exercising self-restraint in the conduct of activities in the disputed waters.

Roque said Philippine and Chinese representa­tives engaged in a “more open, frank, candid, frontal discussion,” which he described as a stronger move than a diplomatic protest.

Last Wednesday, Duterte was asked about his views on the deployment by China of cruise missiles in Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef, Zamora (Subi) Reef and Panganiban (Mischief) Reef over the past 30 days.

“Why will I go to war for a battle that I cannot win? Para akong gago. And of course I said, we have to take into account, but it would – I would take a longer time to do that. Pero kung… Busy ako ngayon eh.”

Duterte reiterated that he could not raise hell against China nor ask them to remove the structures in the disputed areas since the Philippine­s has not enough capability to fight Beijing.

He said he could not sacrifice the lives of Filipino soldiers for a futile exercise where the country will lose.

Duterte again blamed the Aquino administra­tion for not raising a concern when the Chinese started reclamatio­n efforts in the area.

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