MANILA, Philippines - More Chinese barges have appeared at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal off Zambales, and for that President Duterte said he would confront Beijing’s Ambassador Zhao Jianhua.
Duterte said he received intelligence reports last Thursday regarding the growing presence of Chinese barges in the area, about a hundred nautical miles from the coast of Zambales and several hundred miles from the nearest Chinese coast.
Zhao has met with Duterte five times since the latter’s inauguration in June.
“The problem here is we do not know the intentions of China. Because if it continues building military installations there, everything will blow up… it would be a source of conflict,” Duterte said yesterday at the inauguration of the Davao International Container Port.
“What I want to know is if there is additional construction going on especially in the area of Masinloc. Do you have additional construction in Masinloc?” he said.
Bajo de Masinloc is another name for Panatag Shoal.
The Chinese have built artificial islands – with fortifications – in waters within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone. The reclaimed lands have airstrips capable of accommodating large military aircraft.
While he said he has nothing against China and would not even raise the South China Sea dispute during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit next week, Duterte said Beijing should clarify matters to prevent the issue from getting out of control.
The territorial dispute, Duterte stressed, would be better addressed in bilateral talks, as Beijing has been pushing for.
“I would not raise the issue during the ASEAN… If I raise it there, it could become convoluted because of the many parties,” Duterte said. “But you can be sure that when we are face to face, I would present The Hague ruling. If you want to talk to me, this is my platform and we would not get out of the four corners of this document.”
The Chief Executive said taking such a position does not mean he is scared of China.
“We don’t have to be afraid of anybody. We are all for peace. I don’t want to ignite anything there,” he said, as he emphasized he has stricken off “war with China” from his options for addressing the maritime dispute.
Duterte promised that everything would be addressed in its proper time, adding that he has been holding his tongue on the issue – contrary to his nature.
In Panabo City also yesterday, the President said he could not allow China to slap the Philippines every day, especially concerning the West Philippine Sea.
“We have to make a stand. I hope China will understand that we walked the extra mile. We won in The Hague and I have seldom used that arbitral decision,” the President said, referring to the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidating China’s massive nine-dash-line claim in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea.
He also said that he would not discuss the issue with US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Laos.
If confronted with the issue, Duterte said he would simply tell the US president that he is not yet prepared to talk about it.
Duterte is holding nine bilateral talks, including with Obama, Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but as yet no meeting has been scheduled with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
China’s foreign ministry said yesterday China was open to a meeting with Duterte during the summit in Laos, and would also welcome his visiting China at a later date.
Asean to set up CUES
In Manila, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Ma. Hellen dela Vega said the President would discuss the South China Sea issue in broad strokes to include maritime security and rule of law under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“I cannot second-guess what the President will say, but I think that the President’s press release or his messages, public messages, has been clear, that as far as the bilateral dispute is concerned between the Philippines and China, he would prefer that he discuss this bilaterally with China,” Dela Vega told a press briefing at the Palace.
“But at the same time, we have to be aware of the general importance of maritime security, for regional peace and stability as well,” she added.
She also said Southeast Asian countries and China will establish hotlines and adopt communication protocols to avoid potential naval clashes in the disputed waters of the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea. The protocols will be signed during the three-day ASEAN summit. – Giovanni Nilles, Christina Mendez, Edith Regalado, Rainier Allan Ronda