“The foreign minister said very clearly the time has come to move away from public tensions and turn the page,” Kerry told reporters. “I would encourage President Duterte to engage in dialogue, in negotiations,” Kerry told reporters in Laos, referring to the tough-talking new Philippines leader. Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay told reporters that he supported that approach, describing the tribunal case as a dispute just between Beijing and Manila. The Philippines, which says it owns areas claimed by China, took the case to a Hague-based tribunal for arbitration. Kerry reiterated Washington’s stance that the tribunal’s decision to favor the Philippines was binding, but added that it was time to seek new ground.

Source: The Standard July 26, 2016 10:07 UTC