Rodrigo Duterte backflips on Chinese fishing in Philippine waters, insisting exclusive rights will not be waived

Earlier this week, Duterte said he would be unable to stop China fishing in his country’s exclusive waters even if he wanted

Spokesman now insists ‘the president will not relinquish sovereign rights’ after accusations of unconstitutional conduct

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Photo: EPA

Published: 10:55am, 27 Jun 2019Updated: 3:15pm, 13 Dec 2019

The Philippines will not waive its rights to exclusive waters in the South China Sea, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday, reversing his earlier stance allowing Chinese fishing, which some officials said was unconstitutional.

“The president will not relinquish our sovereign rights over our country’s exclusive economic zone [EEZ],” Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement on Thursday, adding the president’s decisions are in accordance with the constitution.

Duterte also spoke to other Southeast Asian leaders at the weekend Asean summit about “the dangers of China’s vague demarcation line claim” and the need for Beijing to adopt a code of conduct in the disputed sea, Panelo said.

The Philippine leader, in a speech on Wednesday night, said he was unable to stop China from fishing in his country’s exclusive waters even if he wants to, claiming that this will only result in a confrontation.

“If I want to prohibit Chinese fishing, how do I enforce my desire? Even America won’t do so out of fear of confrontation there,” Duterte said.