Duterte: China will not build structures in Panatag

MANILA, Philippines — China will not build structures on Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in respect to its friendship with the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte said early Thursday.

"I was informed that they are not going to build anything sa Panatag out of respect for our friendship. They will stop there. Hindi nila gagalawin 'yan, sabi ng China," Duterte said in a televised press briefing upon arriving from Thailand.

The president added that China will not do anything to place its relationship with the Philippines in jeopardy.

"China has a word of honor," the president said.

Duterte once again criticized the United States for being "double-faced" and compared to China.

"Alam mo 'yung kaibigan kong isa sa likod ko... ito ang doble kara but you know, but China kung anong sabihin niya in good stead talagang ginagawa niya... Person and authority doon 'pag magbitaw ng salita 'yan hindi dito may State Department, may ano doon, kung anu-anong gawin sa iyo," Duterte said.

China has denied reports that it is building an environmental monitoring station on Panatag Shoal.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry made the clarification almost simultaneously with Manila's announcement that it has sent a note verbale seeking clarification for the report.

"We have checked with relevant authorities that the recent reports about building an environmental monitoring station on Huangyan Dao are false. There is no such a thing," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a media briefing.

Chinese newspaper Hainan Daily earlier reported that Xiao Jie, the mayor of China's Sansha City, said that building a monitoring station in the shoal is included in the Chinese government's projects this year.

Sansha is a municipal government that administers several island groups including disputed areas such as the Spratly Islands.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is currently keeping close watch over Panatag Shoal, a traditional fishing ground located off the coast of Zambales.