US vs China in disputed waters? PH says 'let giants do their thing' | ABS-CBN

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US vs China in disputed waters? PH says 'let giants do their thing'

US vs China in disputed waters? PH says 'let giants do their thing'

Arianne Merez,

ABS-CBN News

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MANILA -- The Philippines will simply "let giants do their thing" in the South China Sea after the United States warned China against threatening other claimants to the resource-rich waters.

Washington vowed to invest heavily in new military technology to defend its Asian allies after Beijing admitted to deploying troops and weapons.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Tuesday the Philippines sees no problem with the US presence in the disputed South China Sea, for as long as it would promote a peaceful atmosphere amid China's admission that it deployed troops and weapons in the vital waterway.

"The Philippines would want stability at this part of the world, in that part of the world. Philippines’ position is that every country has the right to use the waters in the South China Sea as well as the air space. And we want peace and quiet in that area. So anything that will provide such kind of atmosphere we are for it. If the presence of the US will make it so, then that’s good for all of us - all of the claimants," Panelo said during a Palace press briefing.

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"We will let the giants do their thing. We'll just wait," he said.

Beijing is caught in a multilateral maritime dispute with several claimants over the South China Sea, including Manila.

China refuses to recognize a United Nations-backed arbitral ruling invalidating its sweeping claims to the vital waterway and has instead ramped up its militarization efforts in the area, encroaching into the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

Aside from the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, and Taiwan have partial claims to the South China Sea and its myriad shoals, reefs and islands.

"We desire peace and quiet in that area. No matter upon whose initiative coming from any country," Panelo said.

The US has been vying for influence in the South China Sea, a potential flashpoint in the region.

During his visit to Japan last week, President Rodrigo Duterte questioned China's claims to the disputed waters even as he admitted that the Philippines cannot afford to go to war with any country.

"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?" he said.

Panelo said the President's remarks echo the sentiments of all countries in relation to conduct in the seas.

"I think he is expressing the sentiment of all countries of the world with respect to the use of the seas relatively to the law of the seas and the use of these seas," he said.

"As far as he (Duterte) is concerned parts of the South China Sea are ours per the arbitral ruling, hindi naman nababago iyong posisyon niya roon eh (his position hasn't changed)," he said.

- With a report from Agence France-Presse

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