Palace: Xi not offended by Duterte’s assertion of arbitral ruling in bilateral meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping was not offended by President Rodrigo Duterte’s assertion of the arbitral ruling that struck down China’s expansive claim to the South China Sea, Malacañang said Friday.

Duterte told Xi during their bilateral meeting in Beijing on Thursday night that the arbitral award issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague was “final, binding and not subject to appeal.”

However, Xi reiterated China’s position that it does not recognize the decision.

Asked by reporters about the reaction of Xi to Duterte’s move to bring up the ruling, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said, “The President of China expressed, he said that he was not offended by the President raising that issue.”

Panelo said Duterte had wanted China to recognize the decision even as the President was no longer surprised by Xi’s response.

“Since from the inception, the Chinese government did not recognize. First the international arbitral body [was] saying that they did not even attend it, that they are against it. So, they did not recognize the ruling,” he said.

“But as the President said, it will not stop him from raising the issue and he did.”

Panelo said the mood during the meeting was “friendly” when the decision was being discussed.

“Obviously, the two have mutual respect for each other, if not admiration.  We understand that President Xi is reputed to be one who is against corruption and I think he can relate with President Duterte on that aspect,” he said.

Panelo was not among those who took part in the “smaller meeting” on the arbitral ruling and other issues. He said only Duterte, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and former presidential aide and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go were present for the Philippine side.

The tribunal ruled in July 2016 that China had no historic rights to resources within its so-called nine-dash line, a tongue-shaped encirclement that covers a huge swath of the resource-rich South China Sea, including those that are within Philippine territory.

This ruling also declared the Philippines as the sole authority to exploit and develop resources, from fishing to oil and gas deposits, within the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone provided for under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which both countries are signatory.

But China, which did not participate in the arbitration process, insisted that it has indisputable sovereignty over the vital sea lane.

“Both President Duterte and President Xi agreed that while their variant positions will have to remain, their differences however need not derail nor diminish the amity between the two countries,” Panelo said in a statement.

He said the two leaders shared the view that the maritime dispute is “not the sum total of the Philippines-Chinese bilateral relationship.”

Duterte and Xi also agreed that a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea should be formulated and to continue to dialogue peacefully in resolving the conflict as well as to exercise self-restraint and respect for freedom of navigation and overflight in the disputed waters. —KBK, GMA News