Duterte must use new ‘friendship’ with Beijing to stop Chinese bullying
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Despite the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s July 12 ruling against Beijing’s claim to territories in the South China Sea, it continues to occupy the Philippines-claimed Scarborough Shoal. China is plainly seeking to build an artificial island there and i
Now that President Rodrigo Duterte has established cordial relations with the Chinese, he should ask Beijing to stop driving impoverished Filipino fishermen from their traditional fishing grounds in the West Philippine Sea. Their livelihoods were the first “casualty” in our dispute with China.
Duterte is now in a position to table the dispute with China and negotiate for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in a manner that will affirm Philippine sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Fernando Hicap
Chair of the Philippine Federation of Fisherfolk
(Philippine Daily Inquire/ANN)
