Manila, April 5
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has asked Beijing to back off from a disputed island in the South China Sea, warning of possible military action if China “touches” it amid rising tension over the key waterway.
Duterte, aiming to attract trade and investment from the Asian superpower, has mostly withheld his early criticism of Beijing's expansive claims to the sea — a point of regional contention because trillions of dollars of goods pass through it.
But as the Philippine military warned this week that hundreds of Chinese coast guard and fishing vessels had “swarmed” the Manila-held Pag-asa island, also known as Thitu, the Philippine President spoke out late Thursday. “I will not plead or beg, but I am just telling you that lay off the Pag-asa because I have soldiers there,” Duterte said. “If you touch it, that's another story. Then I will tell my soldiers ‘prepare for suicide missions’,” he said.
For its part, Beijing has downplayed the rising tension over the Pag-asa island, saying on Thursday that both sides had “exchanged views frankly, amicably and constructively” on the issue. — AFP
Unwarranted: US
The US is troubled by any aggressive activity by any country in the South China Sea…In this case, China’s activities are of concern. It seems to be somewhat aggressive and provocative and we feel that they’re unnecessary and unwarranted. Joseph Felter, deputy assistant secy of defence
from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2WMiy8I
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