Duterte Says Xi Warned Philippines of War Over South China Sea

[Drumboy44]

China’s president warned the Philippines that it would go to war if Manila insisted on enforcing an international arbitration decision rejecting China’s claims over disputed areas of the South China Sea, the Philippine president said in a televised speech on Friday.

Although both sides pledged for now to talk and to avoid confrontation, the remarks by the Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, highlighted the stakes in a part of Asia that has become a geopolitical flash point. The warning — which Beijing did not immediately confirm — also draws attention to a policy dilemma for the United States, which is trying to maintain its naval dominance in the Pacific in the face of China’s military buildup and its construction of artificial islands in disputed waters.

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/05/...war.html?_r=0&referer=https://www.google.com/

 

[krzepice1976]

China yesterday sidestepped claims by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte that it had threatened to go to war over the disputed South China Sea.

Duterte, who met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing last week, said May 19 that the leaders had raised conflict as an option to resolving their competing claims to the waters.

“I really said it to their face. That is ours and we intend to drill oil there,” said Duterte, who claimed he made the comments public in response to domestic criticism he was being too weak with China over the row.

“And they told me: ‘Well, we’re friends. We do not want to quarrel with you. We want to maintain the present warm relationship. But if you force the issue we’ll go to war.’” China’s government on Monday did not directly comment on Duterte’s version of the leaders’ conversation, but said it would “work with the Philippines to peacefully resolve disputes through friendly consultation.”

China sought to “deepen cooperation in other fields so bilateral relations can move forward in a sound steady way and also contribute to regional peace stability,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/china-sidesteps-duterte-claim-of-war-threat-over-sea-row.aspx?pageID=517&nID=113397&NewsCatID=356

 

[DEFCON Warning System]

I absolutely believe China is willing to use military force to back their claim to SCS

 

[TruthandJustice]

I absolutely believe China is willing to use military force to back their claim to SCS

Do you think it would be the equivalent Mexico's claim on the Gulf of Mexico? Shhhh. I am being sarcastic.

 

[Drumboy44]

I absolutely believe China is willing to use military force to back their claim to SCS

The US Navy (USN) carried out a freedom-of-navigation operation (FONOP) in disputed waters of the South China Sea (SCS) on 24 May, US media have reported: the first such challenge to Beijing's claims to the resource-rich area by the administration of President Donald Trump.

USS Dewey (DDG 105), an Arleigh Burke (Flight IIA)-class guided missile destroyer sailed within 12 n miles of Chinese-controlled Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, CNN quoted US officials as saying on condition of anonymity.

http://www.janes.com/article/70786/...e-controlled-mischief-reef-in-south-china-sea