MANILA, Philippines — Washington will not put pressure on the Philippines to try to push back against China in connection with the South China Sea dispute, the US Department of State said. President Rodrigo Duterte has refused to use the ruling of an international arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea in pressuring China. Murphy noted that the South China Sea dispute was one of the main issues discussed during the meeting between Tillerson and his Southeast Asian counterparts last week. READ: Amid watered down statement, ASEAN ministers share South China Sea concern with Tillerson"He thought that it would be beneficial for all if such activities of militarization, construction, and reclamation would stop. Washington believes that the South China Sea dispute could be resolved through dialogue, according to Murphy.

Source: Philippine Star May 10, 2017 03:22 UTC