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‘We do not want war’: Philippines’ Duterte refuses to end South China Sea patrols, despite Beijing’s call for them to stop
- The Philippine president said his country was indebted to China, but Manila’s claims to the disputed waterway ‘cannot be bargainable’
- His remarks came after the country’s defence department said ‘China has no business telling the Philippines what we can and cannot do with our own waters’
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Agence France-Pressein Manila
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said he will not withdraw navy and coastguard vessels patrolling the disputed South China Sea, insisting the country’s sovereignty over the waters is not negotiable.
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Tensions over the sea – which China claims almost entirely – have spiked as Beijing refuses to pull out vessels from the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and Manila steps up maritime patrols.
Duterte is under growing domestic pressure to take a harder line, but has been reluctant to confront China over the issue as he fosters closer ties with the economic giant.
He said late on Wednesday that while the Philippines is indebted to its “good friend” China for many things, including free Covid-19 vaccines, his country’s claims to the waterway “cannot be bargainable”.
“I’ll tell China, we do not want trouble, we do not want war. But if you tell us to leave – no,” Duterte said. “There are things which are not really subject to a compromise, such as us pulling back. It’s difficult. I hope they understand, but I have the interest of my country also to protect.”
Duterte’s remarks came after the country’s defence department said “China has no business telling the Philippines what we can and cannot do with our own waters”.
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