Duterte may discuss South China Sea dispute in Vietnam visit

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is prepared to discuss the maritime dispute in the South China Sea if it comes up during his visit to Vietnam, a Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said in a press briefing at Malacañang on Monday.

 

"If ever this will be discussed, this will be in the context of, of course, emphasizing the need or the importance of maintaining, peace, stability, security in the region," Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Charles Jose said.

 

The president is scheduled to visit Vietnam from Sept. 28–29 and is scheduled to meet with Vietnames President Tr?n ??i Quang and pay a courtesy call on other top leaders of the Vietnamese government.

 

Jose also said that the president and the Vietnamese leaders will discuss various areas of bilateral exchange, including maritime cooperation, enhancement of law enforcement and defense cooperation, and increasing two-way trade and investments.

 

"Vietnam’s role in the South China Sea remains significant. First of all, because Vietnam is a claimant country to the overlapping maritime claims in the South China Sea. And, of course, secondly, Vietnam is a member of [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations]," Jose said.

 

In July, an international arbitral tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines in a case that Manila filed to clarify claims in the West Philippine Sea, the portion of the South China Sea within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone. The court ruled that China's nine-dash-line claim, which includes a large part of the South China Sea as China's has no legal basis.

 

China, which refused to participate in the arbitration case, has refused to recognize the decision. It has stressed that the dispute should be settled in bilateral talks, which the Duterte administration has indicated favoring.

 

"The president’s visit will also be an opportunity to solidify the strategic partnership between the two countries," Jose said of the Vietnam visit.

 

The president is also expected to visit Japan and China but specific dates of the visits have yet to be announced.