By Arjay L. Balinbin

BEIJING’S military bases in the disputed South China Sea were built to defend China against any attack by the United States, President Rodrigo R. Duterte said.

“The Chinese bases are not intended for us. The contending ideological powers of the world or the geopolitics has greatly changed. [The bases] are really intended against those who the Chinese think would destroy them, and that is America,” Mr. Duterte said during his speech at the 20th Founding Anniversary Celebration of the Chinese Filipino-Business Club on Monday evening, Feb. 19.

According to the President, the Philippines is not part of the conflict between China and the US.

”Then why would I go there with my navy, soldiers, police and everything? We will be slaughtered,” he said. “I will not commit the lives of the Filipinos only to die unnecessarily. I will not go into a battle which I can never win.”

Despite that, the President said his administration will still assert the Philippines’ claims in the disputed sea.

“In front of Ambassador Zhao Jianhua, I tell you, we will insist. But what would be the components of our demands and our insistence? Well, we can only be diplomatic. We can only be talking on friendly and civilized terms. We cannot go there…and start waving our rifles. We cannot do that today. It is unrealistic. It cannot be true,” he said.

Responding to his critics who claim that his administration is “not doing enough” to address China’s growing militarization in the disputed waters, Mr. Duterte said: “What were they doing during their time? Why did they not start building things there… structures that China is building now?”

“Now, I admit that China is building structures and military bases. But are those intended for us? You must be joking.”

The President likewise mentioned that there is an ongoing discussion between the two countries on a possible joint exploration in the South China Sea.

“When I can talk to them, why should I fight? China is willing to talk. As a matter of fact, there are ongoing negotiations for a joint exploration. Can you beat that?”

Mr. Duterte also clarified that the Philippines is still on good terms with the US in spite of the fact that the Filipino nation “is now veering towards China.”

“Let us be very clear on this. We are on good terms with America, special terms… We maintain good relations with the US. We have this RP-US defense deal, [and] we honor it.”

With the existing US-Philippines defense alliance, Mr. Duterte noted that the Philippines cannot even “enter into another military alliance with any other country.”

“And if you look at it very closely, it would appear that there’s really a divide… The war now is on trade, not territory. That’s why I said geopolitics is always changing,” he said further.









