Duterte tells Xi: I will not allow American troops to set foot on Pag-asa island

President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday recalled that he told Chinese President Xi Jinping he is prohibiting American troops from setting foot on Pag-asa island located in the contested West Philippine Sea.

During an interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy on Sonshine Media Network, Duterte recalled the "last time" he spoke with Xi and asked the Chinese leader, "Why are you surrounding my island with so many ships? You're wasting your gasoline."

While he did not specify when his last meeting with Xi was held, it can be recalled that Duterte went to Beijing in April for the Belt and Road Forum and met the Chinese leader.

"That's my exact words. You're wasting your gasoline. You might as well give it to us," the President said.

With this, Duterte told Xi that "I told you I will not allow. As long as I am President, any American to set foot on that Pag-asa. Because I know that it will create really trouble. And I will not allow their arms. If it’s a Philippine government arms given to us by America, well that's another story. If you want, you can give us a better one."

"I was not angry but sinabi ko, did I not tell you, Mr. President (Xi), that I will never allow the Americans to set foot on any of the islands controlled by the Philippines? That we will not start any war and that I will never allow American weapons to be stationed in that island?" he said.

Duterte also said he told Xi to allow Filipino fishermen to fish in the disputed waters.

"Do not deprive them (fishermen) because you know we are poor. You prohibit us. You will just create the inflation to go higher," he said. —KG, GMA News