Duterte calls for immediate solutions to US-China trade war, sea row

TOKYO, Japan — President Rodrigo Duterte has called for immediate solutions to issues that he said are portraying the global environment to be "chaotic" including the trade war and the South China Sea row.

Duterte said Asia is on the cusp of a "historic transformation" and is claiming its rightful place at the center of the evolving global order because of its growing wealth and influence.

The president, however, acknowledged that recent developments "appear to paint a chaotic global environment."

"But I submit to you that chaos is only part of a large picture," Duterte said during the 25th Nikkei Future of Asia Conference last Friday here.

"There are strong examples of partnerships and meaningful cooperation in the international community. Chaos may in fact be an inevitable stage in the emergence of a new order responsive to our realities of the 21st century," he added.

Duterte cited technological breakthroughs which he said are "disrupting" established lives. New technologies empower but can also fragment societies, he added.

Duterte also claimed that  the global balance of power is shifting from west to east, making Asia "an arena for big power competition with all its attendant risks and opportunities."

He then cited the trade war between the United States and China which he said is "becoming a protracted war on the global and trade investments everywhere."

"We are deeply concerned about the ongoing trade war between the US and China. It is creating uncertainty and tension. It is causing downward stressors on the global economy," Duterte said.

"The world is watching in earnest. There must be a resolution soon," he added.

The US and China have been imposing higher tariffs on each other's goods, worrying investors who fear that it would drag the global economy into a slowdown.

Duterte also expressed concerns on what he described as "unilateralist, protectionist, and nativist tendencies."

"Our institutions for global governance are currently under siege," the Philippine leader said.

'Unilateralist, protectionist, and nativist tendencies are rearing its ugly head again in some parts of the globe. This, at a time when the need to join hands has never been greater," he added.

Chinese-US tensions in South China Sea

The president also mentioned the longstanding dispute in the South China Sea, an area he said is "at stress." He cited the need for a binding code of conduct for South China Sea claimants and to continue talks on the dispute.

"I just hope that China would come up with conduct of the sea soon and somebody should reach out to the United States. Because if you leave it to them to talk, nothing will happen," Duterte said.

"There is so much animosity covered by sweet-talking about how they desire to have an agreement. But nobody is pushing and the intrusions as far as China is concerned it’s in their waters," he added.

China's expansive maritime claim covers about 90 percent of the resource-rich South China Sea. The Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims in the area, a busy sea lane where about $5 trillion worth of goods pass through.

In 2013, the administration of Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino III questioned the legality of China’s maritime claim before an international court, a move in line with its position that the dispute should be resolved through multilateral means.

A Hague-based court ruled in favor of the Philippines three years later as it declared that China's maritime claim has no legal basis. The Chinese government refused to recognize the ruling, dismissing it as a mere piece of paper.  

Duterte, accused by his critics of not doing enough to assert the Philippines' maritime entitlements, questioned China's far reaching claim but insisted that he would not go to war over the dispute.

"I love China it has helped us a bit. But it behooves upon us to ask: Is it right for a country to claim the whole ocean? Only just leave the high seas as it was during the old days of international law," he said.

Duterte, said US, a traditional ally and treaty partner of the Philippines, should stay out of the South China Sea talks. 

"Somebody should reach out to the United States. Because if you leave it to them to talk nothing will happen," the Philippine leader said.

"There has to be somebody not identified with any country that China does not like because there will never be a sort of an America, China talking seriousty about territories. it will just end up a shouting match," he added.

Non-tradional security issues

Duterte also highlighted the risks brought about by the changing nature of non-traditional security issues that add global volatility like terrorism, climate change and transnational crimes.

He said festers and threatens the very foundations of civilized societies of the world. 

"The supreme irony: As terrorists surreptitiously advance and move from one country to another, they are making the movement of people for legitimate reasons more difficult," Duterte said.

"As terrorists and violent extremists proceed with their tasks of tearing up the international community, they are forcing us to rethink our ideas of borders and protection," he added.

With regard to climate change, Duterte said some nations suffer more than the others because of its effects.

"Vulnerabilities are not equally shared by all nations. Developing countries that have contributed the least to global warming, like my country the Philippines, suffer the most from its horrendous consequences," Duterte said.

"With water levels rising, most countries will measure the losses in terms of coastlines. Developing archipelagic nations like the Philippines, however, measure our losses in terms of islands and the lives of our citizens," he added.

Duterte also took some time to discuss local issues including his war on illegal drugs and corruption. The president reiterated that he is ready to kill drug lords who destroy the Philippines. He also assured investors that his government is working to curb corruption.

"Who wants investments? Who wants it? My country needs it. Now the investors, be it a Japanese, a Chinese, the first thing is: Is our money safe?," Duterte said.

"Well in my term, it is safe. Is there no corruption? There is no corruption. I have killed all of them already. Some but not all," he added.

'I love Japan'

Duterte also expressed admiration for Japan, calling it a reliable, responsive and relevant partner.

"I love --- we love Japan," he said.

"I wish to see the Philippines that is like Japan, the people’s commitment to follow the law or civic mindedness is so developed that people instinctively refrain from actions that are detrimental to society as a whole."

Duterte said the Philippines' engagement with Japan is an "exercise of responsible partnership" and one that "empowers rather than fosters dependency."