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the Philippines president wants his military to take control over the South China Sea. Is his military up to the task, or will the Chinese make chop suey out of his people?
MANILA, Philippines – *President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday he has told the military to assert Philippine ownership of a large ocean region off the country's northeastern coast where Chinese survey ships were spotted last year, in a discovery that alarmed Philippine defense officials.
Duterte said he ordered the military to assert ownership of Benham Rise in a friendly way, repeating that his country has no option but to be diplomatic because "I cannot match the might of China."
"My order to my military, you go there and tell them straight that this is ours, but I say it in friendship," Duterte said in a news conference when asked about the issue in the waters facing the Pacific Ocean.
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Beijing and Manila have a separate long-running territorial feud in the South China Sea west of the Philippines, but tensions have eased considerably since Duterte took office in June and began reaching out to China. He has placed the dispute on the backburner while seeking Chinese trade and economic aid.
MANILA, Philippines – *President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday he has told the military to assert Philippine ownership of a large ocean region off the country's northeastern coast where Chinese survey ships were spotted last year, in a discovery that alarmed Philippine defense officials.
Duterte said he ordered the military to assert ownership of Benham Rise in a friendly way, repeating that his country has no option but to be diplomatic because "I cannot match the might of China."
"My order to my military, you go there and tell them straight that this is ours, but I say it in friendship," Duterte said in a news conference when asked about the issue in the waters facing the Pacific Ocean.
Related stories...
Philippines: framework of South China Sea pact possible soon
China nearly finished building South China Sea structures to house missiles, officials say
US Navy carrier deploys to South China Sea for first time in Trump presidency
Beijing and Manila have a separate long-running territorial feud in the South China Sea west of the Philippines, but tensions have eased considerably since Duterte took office in June and began reaching out to China. He has placed the dispute on the backburner while seeking Chinese trade and economic aid.
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