Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ruled out war with China over the South China Sea dispute and said he would like to send former President Fidel Ramos to China for peaceful talks on the issue, the media reported on Friday.
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Overriding a wave of anger following an award by an global tribunal on the South China Sea that did not go in its favour, Beijing on Friday opened several diplomatic channels at once, covering Japan and Vietnam, preceded by imminent talks with the Philippines.
“No individual, country, or organization should expect to use the award to pressure China and shake its strong will of safeguarding its sovereignty, maritime rights and interests, as well as global fairness and justice”.
The tribunal found there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources in areas falling within its nine-dash line, which is based on a vague map that emerged in the 1940s.
However, “such a possibility can not be ruled out in the future”, he said. “The tribunal is final and legally binding regarding the parties concerned”, he said.
While the European Union is neutral in China’s dispute with its Asian neighbours in the South China Sea, Britain, France and Germany want to make clear that Beijing must uphold worldwide law as it seeks a bigger global role.
“In the future, as the South China Sea electricity and power system is strengthened”, the report added.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to respect the court’s ruling during their bilateral meeting on Friday.
The verdict was discussed on Thursday between Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and Li ahead a regional summit in Mongolia.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled on a complaint lodged by the Philippines in 2013, which accused Beijing of violating the Unclos with its aggressive actions on the Scarborough Shoal, a coral reef 225 kilometers off the Philippine coast.
The court decision invalidating China’s claims was a “crowning glory” that renews faith in worldwide law, the Philippines’ top lawyer said on Friday, in Manila’s strongest comment yet on its sweeping win.
However, the ASEM leaders again failed to clearly mention the South China Sea in the closing statement.
This statement was given in the wake of an announcement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying China neither accepts nor recognizes the decision of the PCA.
China had warned earlier that the South China Sea territorial dispute has no place in the ASEM.
However, the ambassador added that Beijing was committed to negotiate with other parties regarding the South China Sea issues.
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Professor David said China also has no right to impose an air defence identification zone (ADIZ) over disputed islands on the East Sea as a country is allowed to establish the breadth of its territorial waters to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles (22.2 kilometres) out from its coastline.
