Last month, Fu said at London-based think tank Chatham House while explaining China’s stance on the South China Sea that for long periods of its history, China suffered the humiliation of foreign invasion and aggression, leaving its people and government very sensitive about territorial integrity. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims in the sea, believed to be rich in energy deposits.
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Japan, the Philippines’ top source of aid, said it was also discussing with Manila the lease of surveillance aircraft to help its under-equipped coast guard.
During a media briefing, Yasay and Kishida agreed that the rule of law must prevail to peacefully resolve the maritime dispute in the South China Sea.
The Philippines had brought the case to the UN-backed tribunal.
“This is not the kind of action that is mandated by worldwide law”, Yasay told the news conference, referring to what he said the Philippines and Japan saw as Chinese intimidation and provocation in connection with their disputes.
Ramos added that President Rodrigo Duterte will decide on whether to send other envoys to future meetings with Beijing, because his appointment was on a “one time basis”, and the appropriate time to meet with China could be during upcoming ministerial meetings or leadership summits.
The two countries remain locked in a bitter territorial dispute over conflicting claims in the South China Sea despite an “award”, or decision, in favor of the Philippines on July 12 by a tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague in the Netherlands.
“The satellite will play an important role in monitoring the marine environment, islands and reefs, and ships and oil rigs, ” the official China Daily newspaper reported, citing Xu Fuxiang, Gaofen 3 satellite project leader at the Academy of Space Technology in Beijing.
Kishida said Japan would continue providing patrol vessels to Philippines.
He was referring to the 1986 ruling of the International Court of Justice in favor of Nicaragua and against the United States on the case concerning military and paramilitary activities in and against Managua.
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Last month, there have been talks that President Duterte might consider China as destination for his first foreign visit to relay a message signal to the world that the Philippines is willing to fix injured relationships caused by the dispute for the sake of peace and stability in the Asia Pacific. Four ASEAN countries are claimant states in the SCS. The Diplomat said forty percent of the world’s tuna are born in the area.
