Duterte tells Philippines he asked China for coronavirus vaccine, diplomacy in maritime dispute

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told the nation on July 27, 2020, that he had asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help Manila get priority access to a made-in-China vaccine against the Covid-19 coronavirus. In his fifth annual State of the Nation Address, Duterte also said he would not confront Beijing over its claims in the South China Sea, saying diplomacy would be the best approach.