President Duterte is expected to discuss bilateral issues, possibly including the South China Sea, with Chinese President Xi Jinping when they meet this morning at the Great Hall of the People.

Declaring the concerned areas as marine protected would promote marine biodiversity protection.

Over two years since the Hague ruling, Chinese ships continue its harvesting activities on the shoal, destroying its marine environment.

Not even a powerful president like Duterte can prevent China from altering the status quo. So, what’s the plan?

Chinese poachers are making “thousands of dollars” by extracting clams in the Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea and selling them, a US think tank expert said. But such a lucrative business has also destroyed the resource-rich waters’ marine environment and could cost coastal communities their livelihoods.