Saturday, April 6, 2019
Duterte: China’s Xi Jinping threatened war if Philippines drills for oil in the South China Sea
From the CNNPhilippines:
President Rodrigo Duterte said Friday that his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, had warned of war if the Philippines started to drill for oil in the contested South China Sea.“He told me, ‘We do not want to quarrel with you. We would want to maintain the present warm relationship. But if you force the issue, we will go to war’,” Duterte said, quoting Xi in one of their recent exchanges.
Duterte said during the Philippine Coastguard Auxiliary National Convention in Davao City that Xi had insisted on the Asian giant’s centuries-old claim to the vast South China Sea as against a recent tribunal ruling.
Duterte to China: "America has lost now...with that, in this venue, your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States. I have separated from them. So I will be dependent on you for all time. But do not worry. We will also help as you help us."
He made this announcement late October 2016 in Beijing after trashing Obama:
As President Rodrigo Duterte announced his "separation" from the United States and sought to strengthen ties with China, he said he will also talk to Russia's Vladimir Putin.
"I've realigned myself in your [China] ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to (President Vladimir) Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world - China, Philippines and Russia. It's the only way," he said.
Duterte made his comments in China, where he is visiting with at least 200 business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance as relations with longtime ally the United States deteriorate.
Duterte's efforts to engage China, months after a tribunal ruling in the Hague over South China Sea disputes in favor of the Philippines, marks a reversal in foreign policy since the 71-year-old former mayor took office on June 30.
"America has lost now," Duterte told Chinese and Philippine business people at a forum in the Great Hall of the People, attended by Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli.
"With that, in this venue, your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States," Duterte said to applause. "I have separated from them. So I will be dependent on you for all time. But do not worry. We will also help as you help us."
Duterte: "I would say, I need China more than anybody else at this time of our national life. I need China.... I Simply Love Xi Jinping."
Back in April 2018:
MANILA, Philippines – Before departing for China to attend the Boao Forum for Asia, President Rodrigo Duterte declared he "needs" Beijing to back his administration's priority programs.
"I would say, I need China more than anybody else at this time of our national life. I need China. I will not say something which is not good," he said on Monday, April 9....Duterte even asked a Chinese reporter at the Monday press conference to relay warm words to Xi."I just simply love Xi Jinping. He understands my problem and is willing to help. I'd like to say, thank you China. Please carry the message," he said....
Not bringing up reclamation
Asked by a Filipino reporter if he would raise reclamation activities in Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea with China's leaders, Duterte said he would not."No, I will just thank them and say thank you for issuing that statement. It's a word of honor for us," he said, referring to China's assurance to him that Beijing will not conduct reclamation in any other feature in the West Philippine Sea.
From Rappler.
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