MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine president said Thursday he will not raise his country’s
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine president said Thursday he will not raise his country’s victory in an arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea during a Southeast Asian summit this weekend, a stance that critics say is subservient to Beijing.
Rodrigo Duterte said last year’s ruling is an issue between China and the Philippines and does not concern other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. He hosts an annual summit of ASEAN leaders in Manila on Saturday.
“I will skip the arbitral ruling. It is not an issue here in the ASEAN, ” Duterte told reporters.
A draft of an ASEAN chairman’s communique to be issued by Duterte at the end of the summit also does not mention the arbitration decision, which invalidated China’s historic claim to virtually the entire South China Sea.
