AFP, DAVAO, PhilippinesPhilippine President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday said that he was open to exploring the South China Sea’s natural resources with rival claimants China and Vietnam, after securing a “windfall” while in Beijing. Duterte added that he had no immediate plans to pressure China over an international tribunal’s ruling last year that its sweeping claims to most of the sea were unlawful. “If we can get something there with no hassle at all, why not,” Duterte told reporters when asked about a proposal for jointly exploring the sea with China and Vietnam. Duterte said he wanted discussions to involve a code of conduct for the sea, which China and Southeast Asian nations have been discussing for about 15 years. Their talks are to follow the 14th meeting tomorrow of senior officials from China and ASEAN on the implementation of a code of conduct in the South China Sea.

Source: Taipei Times May 16, 2017 16:29 UTC