蜜桃工作室

The Philippine government will continue to employ a 鈥渘on-combative鈥� approach in dealing with the South China Sea issue amid a recent report that Beijing has built new military facilities on artificial islands in the disputed region, Malaca帽ang said聽on Friday.

US think tank Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative聽said that based on satellite images,聽Beijing鈥檚 outposts on contested South China Sea reefs are close to being ready for the deployment of military assets.

READ: Beijing鈥檚 South China Sea outposts nearly set for missile deployment鈥攔eport

鈥淲e need to reiterate the fact that the President鈥� his approach to the situation, to regional socio geopolitics has always been to come into a mutual understanding and mutual, and dialogue in order to resolve cases like these,鈥� presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella during the Mindanao Hour in Davao City.

鈥淲e need to just go back to the fact that the President at this stage has been non-combative and non-adversarial,鈥� Abella added.

In January this year, the Philippines sent a note verbale to China聽as it protests Beijing鈥檚 installation of antiaircraft and antimissile weapons on its man-made islands in the disputed sea.

The South China Sea issue has strained the Philippines鈥� relations with China after the latter claimed almost all parts of the minerals-rich region.

But since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in June 30 last year, he has maintained 鈥渁 soft approach鈥� on China as he favored bilateral talks to settle the South China Sea disputes.
The Philippines won a landmark decision at the United Nations-backed arbitral tribunal but China has repeatedly rejected the decision.

In May, the Philippines and China held bilateral talks to discuss 鈥渟ensitive鈥� issues over the disputed sea.
Duterte said in May that聽Chinese President Xi Jinping had warned him there would be war if the Philippines drills for oil resources in the South China Sea. JPV