South China Sea: Xi Jinping calls on ex-Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte to continue boosting ties

The Philippines and several other countries have long-standing claims that rival Beijing’s in the region.

In late June, the Philippine navy deployed for the first time its anti-submarine warfare assets to the West Philippine Sea – known in China as the eastern parts of the South China Sea – to boost the force’s capability to detect and hit enemy vessels.

Compared with his successor who took office in June last year, Duterte adopted a more pro-China stance during his six-year tenure.

Duterte thanked China for its “valuable support for the economic and social development of the Philippines, especially for its generous help for the Philippines in fighting against the Covid-19 pandemic,” Xinhua quoted him as saying.

In April, Manila gave the US – its long-time security ally – access to four additional bases near the Taiwan Strait and the contested South China Sea. The decision was condemned by China as “stoking the fire” of regional tension.

Duterte questioned the decision to grant the US greater military access, telling domestic media it would be “pretty naive” to think Washington would not deploy nuclear warheads to the Philippines.