What is China up to in the South China Sea?

What is China up to in the South China Sea?

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has issued his strongest statement yet against the Chinese government.

Amid rising tensions over the disputed South China Sea, Mr Duterte warned of a “bloody” confrontation if China crosses into the Philippines’ Economic Exclusive Zone.

“We do not want a quarrel,” he told soldiers at an army camp east of Manila. “I would walk the extra mile to ask for peace for everybody.

“But I am sure and I guarantee to them that if they invade us, it will be bloody and we will not give it to them easily. It will be the bones of our soldiers, you can include mine.

“We will not raise hell now because of the judgement but there will come a time that we will have to do some reckoning about this.”

His more aggressive stance is at odds with statements he made earlier this week, in which he said he prefers to engage China in a diplomatic dialogue rather than say anything confrontational that could anger Chinese officials into calling off possible talks.

Asked if a date had been set for the bilateral talks, Mr Duterte said, “Yes. Nearer than you think. Within the year, maybe.”

An international arbitration tribunal ruled last month that China’s massive territorial claims in the South China Sea based on historical grounds were invalid under a 1982 UN treaty, in a major setback for Beijing, which has ignored the decision.

Aside from China and the Philippines, four other governments are contesting ownership of parts of the South China Sea, a busy passageway for shipping. The region is also believed to sit atop sizeable deposits of gas and oil worth trillions.