Join our crew and become one of the 104,461 members that receive our newsletter.

Chinese militia vessels spotted at Sabina Shoal in South China Sea

Philippine Coast Guard personnel survey several ships believed to be Chinese militia vessels in Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea, in a handout photo distributed by the Philippine Coast Guard on May 5 and taken according to source on April 27, 2021. Philippine Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS

Philippines’ Duterte, China’s Xi Call For Restraint In South China Sea

Reuters
Total Views: 3010
April 9, 2022
Reuters

MANILA, April 9 (Reuters) – Philippines’ Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to exercise restraint to maintain peace in the South China Sea, Manila’s presidential office said on Saturday.

The two leaders held an hour-long telephone summit on Friday, discussing a broad range of topics including concerns over the Ukraine crisis and COVID-19 pandemic responses.

“The leaders stressed the need to exert all efforts to maintain peace, security and stability in the South China Sea by exercising restraint, dissipating tensions and working on a mutually agreeable framework for functional cooperation,” the presidential office said in a statement.

Both parties were committed to broaden the space for positive engagements even as disputes existed, Duterte’s office said.

Since taking office in 2016, Duterte has pursued warmer ties with Beijing, setting aside a longstanding territorial spat over the South China Sea in exchange for billions of dollars of aid, loans and investment pledges.

The two presidents spoke of the importance of continuing discussions and concluding the code of conduct on the South China Sea.

An international arbitration ruling in the Hague in 2016 invalidated China’s sweeping claims to the waterway, through which about $3 trillion worth of ship-borne trade passes annually. The case was brought to the tribunal by Manila.

In March, the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest over a Chinese Coast Guard vessel engaging in “close distance maneuvering” that heightened a risk of collision in the disputed waterway.

Duterte and Xi renewed calls for a peaceful resolution of the situation in Ukraine through dialogue, and pledged to work together in addressing the impacts of climate change, the presidential office said.

Duterte, 77, is set to end his single, six-year term in June.

Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Michael Perry

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022.

Unlock Exclusive Insights Today!

Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.

Sign Up
Back to Main
polygon icon polygon icon

Why Join the gCaptain Club?

Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.

Sign Up
close

JOIN OUR CREW

Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 104,461 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.

gCaptain’s full coverage of the maritime shipping industry, including containerships, tankers, dry bulk, LNG, breakbulk and more.