Duterte: China threatened the Philippines with war
The President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte said that China has threatened to start a war against his country after the politician declared the sovereign right to extract resources in the disputed territory. This statement, according to Duterte, did the Chinese President XI Jinping, reports Bloomberg.
At the meeting, the two leaders of Duterte told si that the Philippines will produce oil in the South China sea and added that it is the right of Manila gives the decision of the international commercial arbitration. This caused objections from the si, says Duterte.
“Well, if you insist on this, we will have to tell you the truth. We will go to war. We will fight with you”, — quotes the words of si, the President of the Philippines.
“It seems strange to hear these words (from the Chinese leader — RNS), because we never were under the jurisdiction of China,” added Duterte.
Philippine President did not specify where and when a Chinese politician voiced this threat. China’s foreign Ministry did not respond to requests from the news for comment.
Since the beginning of his term in June 2016, 72-year-old Duterte known for their loud and harsh statements, restored the weakened ties with China. In the result, the Philippines had received the loans and investments of $24 billion in China’s Efforts to assert its dominance over the South China sea (through it of goods worth more than $5 trillion per year) in the past has caused discontent countries in South-East Asia (including, for example, Vietnam and the Philippines), having its claims to the region.
The permanent court of arbitration (international court of arbitration in the Hague) in July 2016 ruled in favor of the Philippines. The court rejected China’s claim on South China sea. In response, Beijing said that the Tribunal has no jurisdiction over sovereignty disputes.