Davao City: Incoming President Rodrigo Duterte turned his tough talk on China and Malaysia as he maintained that the Philippines will assert its claims over disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea and Sabah, respectively."Whether you want to believe it or not, that is beside the point. The point is, that is ours," Duterte told a press conference. He was referring to territories in the Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea, which were claimed by China when the Asian giant built artificial islands on reefs and shoals, then established structures.
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China has been maintaining that the disputed areas fall within the "nine-dash line" which it asserts as its territory. But the Philippines has challenged this claim in the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal and said that China violated the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), on exclusive economic zones and territorial seas.
"It is a question that the (disputed territories) are well within the 200-km exclusive economic zone of the country. You put something there that would obstruct or impede our movement in the exercise of that right, it's a violation of our rights and the law of the seas," Duterte stressed.
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He said he raised this issue with Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua when the latter paid him a courtesy last week. "I told (Zhao), whether you like it or not, that's ours. The least you can do since it is in the arbitration stage, you might want to allow our brother-fishermen (to fish in the area)," Duterte said.
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Zhao had earlier said he was particularly struck when the incoming Philippine president raised the issue about the fishermen who have been seriously affected by the long-running dispute between the two countries which clearly "demonstrated his concern for the poor people."Duterte's assertion that the international law of the seas should be followed in settling the dispute actually ran counter to what Zhao said was the incoming president's willingness to get into direct bilateral negotiations with China.Duterte likewise maintained that his administration "will stick to our claim" on Sabah."We are allowing proprietary heirs to talk (with Malaysia). Since it is part of our claim, it will be there as our land," he said.Meanwhile, President Aquino said the Scarborough Shoal is still part of the country's exclusive economic zone and remains free of any relocation work from China.
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The President asserted the country's ownership of the Scarborough Shoal, locally known as Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc, as he fended off allegations he committed treason by losing the contested territory to China."It's a 120 nautical miles from Masinloc, Zambales. Therefore, clearly within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone," the President said.