“DI AKO takot sa China (I am not afraid of China),” President Rodrigo Duterte firmly said in his speech during the oath taking of his son Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte at the Sangguniang Panlungsod session hall in Davao City Thursday, June 21.
He issued this statement after saying that the Recto (Reed) Bank incident is “a maritime accident”, wherein the boat boarded by 22 Filipino fishermen were hit by a Chinese vessel.
The fishermen and their captain later on retracted their statement that the foreign vessel intentionally hit them.
The President’s stand on this matter received mixed reactions from the public.
Duterte, moreover, said a thorough investigation must be conducted, despite no casualties were reported, adding that the incident should not result into war, for the country is not capable of doing so.
“Di ako takot sa China. Takot ako na baka wala tayong kalaban-laban. Baka tayo maubos (I am not afraid of China. I’m afraid that we are helpless when we go to war),” Duterte said.
He added that if China claims that their vessel has liabilities, then they should compensate the affected fishermen.
China is a friend, but...
Although the President considered China “as a friend”, he still questioned its demarcation line, the Nine-Dash Line.
“Ang problema ng China, nag-drawing sila ng Nine-Dash Line. Linya niya, sinagad sa ating crystal waters. Remember ngayon, sa Recto Reef (Recto Bank), it was not a matter of sovereignty (The problem with China is that it drew a Nine-Dash Line wherein they exceeded up to our crystal waters. Now on the issue of Recto Bank, it was not a matter of sovereignty),” Duterte said claiming that it is part of the Philippine’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
He also questioned China’s line exceeding in the coastline borders of other neighboring countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.
“Is it correct for China to declare ownership of an ocean?” the President added, “Because nobody can prevent America from claiming a third of the Pacific Ocean”.
He said he is also thinking of declaring Sulu Sea as part of the country’s (EEZ).
He will be discussing it further during the 34th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, the President added.
Duterte immediately flew to Thailand after attending Baste’s oath taking.
He will be in Bangkok beginning Thursday, June 21, to June 23.