FIGHTING FOR OUR RIGHTS | Vice President wants Duterte to take a stand against China in maritime dispute, attacks Beijing

July 13, 2021 , 09:43 PM

By Beatrice Puente, News5 Digital

(July 13, 2021) – The country’s vice president on Tuesday urged the president to take a tougher stand against China in the maritime dispute after a Chinese official dismissed the Philippines’ landmark legal victory five years ago.

Leonor Robredo criticized President Rodrigo Duterte for his failure to hold Beijing accountable for its blatant violation of international laws, like the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), with its excessive claim in the South China Sea based on its historical nine-dash-line.

“Sana iyong gobyerno natin willing din na magpakita ng kaunting tapang regarding the issue, kasi talagang habang umaatras tayo, lalo lang tayong didiinan,” Robredo said. “Kapag interes na ng sariling bansa natin, dapat pumalag tayo.”

Robredo sa pahayag ng China hinggil sa 2016 arbitral ruling

“Sana ‘yung gobyerno natin, willing din na magpakita ng kaunting tapang regarding the issue.”

Ito ang reaksyon ni Vice Pres. Leni Robredo sa naging pahayag ni Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian sa ikalimang anibersaryo ng 2016 arbitral victory ng Pilipinas sa South China Sea issue.
“It is nothing more than a piece of waste paper,” ayon sa Chinese official hinggil sa ruling.

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Posted by News5 on Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Robredo issued the statement after China’s foreign ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, rejected once again the 2016 Hague ruling that affirmed the country’s economic rights over the West Philippine Sea.

In a press briefing, Zhao called the historical decision “nothing more than a piece of waste paper” as the country marked the fifth anniversary of the arbitral win on Monday. He also called the decision “null and void.” He was echoing what Duterte said earlier about the ruling which could not be enforced.

He also criticized the United States for an “extremely irresponsible” statement released by US State Secretary Anthony Blinken.

“The US statement disregards the historical merits and objective facts of the South China Sea issue, violates and distorts international law, and breaks the US government’s long-held public commitment of not taking a position on the South China Sea sovereignty issue,” Zhao said.

Robredo, for her part, said she was “not surprised” with the statement, criticizing Zhao’s tone as “unnecessary and unfortunate.”

“The message is actually expected, kasi ganoon naman, ‘di ba? After all, governments are expected to assert their nation’s interests – even if sometimes, nga they have to bend logic in the process,” Robredo said. “Pero ‘yung sa akin kasi personal: Sana all.”

The country’s two highest government officials are poles apart in many policies and programs. Both were elected separately in 2016.

Duterte has refused to challenge China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea to avoid provoking his counterpart, Xi Jinping, whom he considered his friend and benefactor for providing loans to the country. Only less than five percent of the promised $24 billion have materialized.

There are some speculations China also influenced the elections to help elect Duterte to power, according to a former foreign affairs secretary, potentially explaining the firebrand leader’s actions toward Beijing.

Duterte’s office has yet to comment on the vice president’s remarks.

(MM)

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