Duterte Was 'Apologetic' When He Brought Up Spratly Islands With China's Xi

On Sunday, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo quoted Duterte as telling Xi, “I didn’t want to alarm you with what I’m about to raise because of your problem in Hong Kong, which is why I’m asking for forgiveness, but I need to say this because I promised my countrymen.” The Chinese leader’s response, according to Panelo was, “I understand, and I am OK with it” while continuing to deny the arbitral ruling.

From the International Business Times.


UPDATE: But PHL Foreign Secretary says it did not happen.

Damage control. I trust Panelo more on this one.

Foreign Sec. TeddyBoy Locsin: West PH Sea gas exploration has to be with China 'unless other people step up'

The Philippines has to explore with China oil and gas reserves believed to be sitting deep beneath the West Philippine Sea "unless other people step up," Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Wednesday. 

Manila and Beijing, during President Rodrigo Duterte's visit to China last week, signed a deal on joint oil and gas exploration, and another on the Belt and Road infrastructure push, noted Locsin during a budget briefing before the House of Representatives' appropriations committee. 

“We’re gonna have to do it with China unless other people step up the way Shell stepped up in Malampaya before,” Locsin said, referring to the gas field off Palawan where Shell Philippines Exploration BV leads the operating consortium. 

Abs Cbn reports.

FLASHBACK: China warns Philippines to prepare for WAR if Manila drills for oil in South China Sea

Meaning, Xi will go to war against the Philippines if we drill for oil on our own without China's permission.

 

FLASHBACK: Duterte Says China's Xi Jinping Won't Allow His Removal From Office

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping had provided him with a personal assurance that Beijing would not allow him to be removed from office.

“The assurances of Xi are very encouraging: we will not allow you to be taken out from your office and we will not allow the Philippines to go to the dogs,” Duterte said in a speech Tuesday.

 From Bloomberg. Kinda like what Russia is doing with Maduro.

Duterte Should Cancel His Trip To China To Protest Chinese Intrusion Into PHL Waters

 He should. Enough is enough. Otso Diretso should pressure him to cancel the trip.

Teddy Boy Locsin has been talking tough recently: DFA chief not afraid of war, says China took what is our 

The U.S.Warship Enters South China Sea with Abnormal Number of Fighter Jets in a show of force.

And after sending troops to Venezuela to bolster Maduro, Russian warships visits PHL too!

Here comes Russia, the disruptor. The West Philippine Sea is crowded enough. Over 200 Chinese ships infest it, now Duterte welcomes Russia. Every drug lord needs protectors.

Russian warships arrive in the Philippines amid rising South China Sea tensions https://t.co/f914fRi8lx

— Leah Navarro (@leahnavarro) April 9, 2019

West PH Sea: China took what is ours – Locsin

The stand is that it is ours. And they took it. World's highest court ruled that. Period. Now the question is how to take it back. I personally have no fear of war. One attack on a public vessel triggers World War 3 with the USofA which is impervious to attack from Asia. https://t.co/nOtzpgw7Jr

— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) April 9, 2019

From the Inquirer:

 The West Philippine Sea is “ours” and China “took it,” Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. said on Wednesday.

“The stand is that it is ours. And they took it. World’s highest court ruled that. Period,” Locsin tweeted in response to a Twitter user who asked for the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) stand amid the alleged invasion of China in the West Philippine Sea.

Locsin was referring to the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) which favored the Philippines after it filed a case challenging China’s sweeping claims of nearly the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea.

The country’s top diplomat further said that it was now a matter of figuring out “how to take it back.”

“Now the question is how to take it back. I personally have no fear of war. One attack on a public vessel triggers World War 3 with the USofA which is impervious to attack from Asia,” he added.

Somebody should tell Duterte to tell Xi Jinping that when he visits China this month.

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.

• READ: While in China, Duterte announces 'separation' from US

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.