By April 5, 2021
Aides of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte criticized China on April 5 for anchoring hundreds of its vessels for a month in the disputed South China Sea areas, which could lead to “unwanted hostilities,” his legal counsel warned.
Duterte is usually reluctant to confront China. He even angered Filipinos by refusing to press China on respecting a landmark 2016 arbitral ruling that clarified the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which can help the country take back the control of the Scarborough Shoal.
On Monday, Duterte’s lawyer Salvador Panelo called the prolonged presence of Chinese boats “territorial incursions” and told the Beijing regime: “We can negotiate on matters of mutual concern and benefit, but make no mistake about it—our sovereignty is non-negotiable.”
Duterte’s spokesman Harry Roque echoed the view later on that day and told a news conference: “We will not give up even a single inch of our national territory or our EEZ.”
The situation of the South China Sea is intense with over 250 Chinese fishing boats, which are believed to host militias posing as sailors, anchored around six areas, and warships from China, the United States, Australia, Canada, and Japan sailing nearby............To Read More.....
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