Palace: 'Province of China' meant to impress Chinese-Filipino audience

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang clarified that President Rodrigo Duterte was just impressing his Chinese-Filipino audience when he cracked the joke about the Philippines becoming a province of China.

 

Chinese-Filipinos are Filipinos and many have been so for generations.

 

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the president would continue to assert the Philippines' interests in the West Philippine Sea and the Philippine Rise.  

 

"His joke is, you know, just to emphasize that it's ours but... but we're one with China. Take it in that spirit. But he was very firm that we have title over the disputed area in West Philippine Sea and we have exclusive rights in Philippine Rise," Roque said in a press briefing Tuesday. 

 

"Ang interpretasyon ko doon...is pakitang gilas lang naman iyon (My interpretation is...he was just impressing the audience). You know, we are appealing to domestic constituents. We are just showing that there is no dispute here, just leave the Philippine Rise to the Filipinos," he added. 

 

Roque said the Chinese also use the same approach to relay the message that the disputed areas belong to them. 

 

"But the Philippine president was very clear: We will not give away even a single inch of territory," the presidential spokesman said. 

On Monday night, the president, who is known for making comments that his spokespersons and subordinates later clarify and explain, said that he believes China will not build anything on Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, which it patrols.

 

China has allowed Filipino fishers to fish in the traditional fishing ground that the Philippines claims as part of its exclusive economic zone.

 

"I respect Xi Jinping, they assured us they will not build anything on Scarborough," Duterte said at the anniversary celebration of the Chinese Filipino Business Club.

 

"He (Xi) is a man of honor. They can even make us 'Philippines, province of China," we will even avail of services for free," Duterte said in apparent jest. "If China were a woman, I'd woo her."

 

Duterte said he was even willing to share the Philippines' oil to China. 

 

He said the Philippines can get two thirds of the oil while China can get one third because it is already rich. 

 

"You are already rich and besides, we are already a province, province of Philippines, Republic of China. The nearest is Fujian," the Philippine leader said.

 

China is actually called the People's Republic of China. The Republic of China refers to Taiwan, which the PRC considers part of its territory.

 

"Just let Taipei be. It's very small. Let it float there. If you get the Philippines, you won't have a problem," the Philippine president said.