Duterte has confirmed he will talk about the arbitral ruling, favouring Manila’s position in the disputed sea, with Xi. The warning comes after pressure builds on Duterte to stand up to Beijing after previously being criticised for allowing concessions to China. Duterte has been accused of not doing enough to assert the Philippines’ claims in the disputed sea after he informally agreed to allow Chinese vessels into Recto Bank.
According to Philstar, Duterte said at the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry: “Let’s talk about the arbitral ruling. I’m going to China to talk.”
He added he didn’t want to fight with his Chinese counterpart.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo went on to say Duterte planned to assert the country’s claims but was waiting for the right time.
Panelo said Duterte told him: “Remember that I said before that there will be a time when I will invoke that arbitral ruling?
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“This is the time. That’s why I am going there.”
Duterte’s move follows sharp criticism during his first three years in office for not pressing China to abide by a historic arbitration win, preferring instead to curry favour with Beijing.
That ruling in international law invalidated China’s claim, based on its so-called nine-dash line, to historic sovereignty over most of the busy South China Sea waterway.
In exchange, Duterte received vague pledges of billion-dollar investment, most of which have yet to materialise. But opponents say Duterte has been duped.
Plans for the visit come as countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines and its ally the US push back over the activities of the Chinese coastguard and a fishing militia that is thousands-strong in disputed areas of the South China Sea.
Last week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blasted Beijing for “decades of bad behaviour”, in trade and at sea.
While Duterte continues to defend his policy of non-confrontation with China, his U.S.-leaning security top brass have spoken out strongly, indicating their patience with China is wearing thin.
Two diplomatic protests have been filed, the first over what the Philippines said was a recent “swarming” of more than 100 Chinese fishing boats near a tiny Philippine-occupied island.