Not picking a fight

FROM President Rodrigo Duterte’s revelations on his talks with top Chinese officials during his recent visit to Beijing, it is reassuring to know that contrary to what many feared, the president clearly stated the position and concerns of the Philippines.

First, he asked the Chinese government to stop its fishermen from fishing in the disputed Panatag (Scarborough Shoal), on the grounds that the shoal falls within the country’s exclusive economic zone under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Chinese government has told its fishermen to leave the contested area.

Second, Duterte cited the July 12 ruling of the UN arbitral tribunal at The Hague as the country’s main argument for asserting sovereign rights over the shoal.

The Chinese officials were quick to answer that China had historic rights over the shoal.

This sounded like a clear clash of positions, but Duterte deftly steered the discussion toward areas where there could be common ground or agreement.

The president disclosed that China vowed to boost the Philippines’ agricultural sector through affordable financing schemes for farmers.

The scheme, Duterte said, would spur the revival of the policies of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, which promoted high-yield crops, and Biyaya ng Dagat, which granted aid to fishermen.

The president recognises his friendly stance toward China is not enough to make Beijing accept its bitter defeat before the UN-backed tribunal anytime soon.

“They said they own the island historically, and I said to them we won’t back down from there because we won the case in the UN court. But I won’t pick a fight. We can resolve this case peacefully, some day.”

President Duterte’s decision not to insist on an immediate solution to the South China Sea question echoes confidence in the ability of future generations to find a solution acceptable to all.