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Reuters

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte tried to allay fears over China’s construction of military bases on man-made islands in the South China Sea, saying they are a defence against the US, not made to attack Asian states.
“It’s not intended for us,” he said in a speech to Chinese-Filipino businessmen on Monday. “The contending ideological powers of the world or the geopolitics has greatly changed. 
“It’s really intended against those who the Chinese think would destroy them and that is America.”
Duterte also blamed past Philippine governments for not building up the country’s defences in the Spratly archipelago - known in China as the Nansha Islands - at a time when Beijing was only starting to build its artificial islands.
“We did nothing,” the firebrand leader complained.
Philippines objects to China’s naming of undersea features
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which US$3 trillion worth of goods passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have overlapping claims.

The United States has criticised China’s build-up of military facilities on the islands and is concerned they could be used to restrict free movement along the trade route.
Infographics: Can China's powerful new navy behemoth outclass America's warships?
China and the Philippines have long sparred over the South China Sea, but relations have improved considerably under Duterte, who has been courting Beijing in hopes of winning business and investment.
In 2014, Beijing started expanding the seven features it occupies in the Spratlys, reclaiming and building artificial islands which are now becoming military bases with airstrips, ports and anti-air and surface-to-surface missiles sites based on satellite and aerial photos.
China has built seven new military bases in South China Sea
Duterte defended himself from critics who say he is not doing enough to protect the country’s interests in the South China Sea.
He said he “will not commit the lives of the Filipinos only to die unnecessarily, I will not go into a battle which I can never win.”

He also played down concerns about the recent moves by China to assign Chinese names to several undersea features in Benham Rise, an area the size of Greece in the Pacific Ocean which the United Nations awarded to the Philippines, as part of its continental shelf.
“That is ours, period,” he said. “I am not allowing any expedition any more. China went there and put up markers. 
China’s rising challenge to US raises risk of South China Sea conflict, Philippines warns
“Those are just directions and of course, they can do it in Chinese, it’s their dialect.”
Before ending his speech, he cracked a joke offering the Philippines to become a province of China. “If you want, you can make us a province, like Fujian. Province of the Philippines, Republic of China,” he added.


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South China Sea

Rodrigo Duterte says Chinese military island bases are there to oppose US, not Philippines

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (seen on February 13) has tried to quell fears over Chinese military development in the Spratly Islands, saying it’s only to defend against the US, not attack China. File photo: AFP

epa04712854 A handout picture made available by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Office on 20 April 2015 shows construction at Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef in the disputed Spratley Islands in the south China Sea by China on 18 February 2015. Just before the opening of the Balikatan 2015 joint Philippines and US military exercises, Philippine military chief General Gregorio Pio Catapang showed the latest aerial photos of the expansive reclamation and building being done by China in at least seven disputed territories. The Philippines has alleged that China causes economic losses of at least 100 million dollars annually due to its reclamation activities, which have destroyed an estimated 120 hectares of coral reef systems in the Spratlys islands group. EPA/ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

This image provided by CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe shows a satellite image of Fiery Cross Reef in Spratly island chain in the South China Sea, annotated by the source to show areas where China has conducted construction work above ground during 2017. Tensions have eased in the disputed region in the past year, but the Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative says China has been busy, building infrastructure to equip outposts to be air and naval bases. Tensions over China's island-building in the South China Sea may have eased in the past year, but Beijing has kept busy. New satellite imagery shows China has built infrastructure covering 72 acres in the Spratly and Paracel islands during 2017 to equip its larger outposts to be air and naval bases.(CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe via AP)

China’s rising challenge to US raises risk of South China Sea conflict, Philippines warns

China has expanded facilities on Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea. Photo: Getty Images

Philippine Ambassador to Beijing, Chito Sta. Romana, tells a forum on South China Sea Monday, Feb. 19, 2018 in Manila, Philippines. Romana said the risks of an armed conflict have increased in the disputed South China Sea with a militarily stronger China now able to challenge the United States, which used to be the dominant power in the strategic waterway. Romana said the balance of power was shifting with the two global powers vying for control of the waters, adding the Philippines should not get entangled in the increasingly tense maritime rivalry. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)