October 17, 2016

"Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's four-day state visit to China, scheduled to start on Tuesday, has drawn extensive attention from the international community since it was made public.

Duterte's government has made clear its priority is to improve domestic economic conditions and people's livelihoods, and it wants to take advantage of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative to help realize these aims.

Duterte also wants to break the diplomatic impasse with China over the South China Sea created by former Philippine president Benigno Aquino III. From Jan 22, 2013 when the Aquino government unilaterally filed a case to an international tribunal on the Philippines' territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea to July 12 when the tribunal ruled on the case－which was actually beyond its jurisdiction－the Chinese government consistently made clear its 'non-acceptance, non-participation and non-recognition' of the arbitration, which means the Philippines has not been able to gain substantial benefits from the arbitration."

Read more:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2016-10/17/content_27078269.htm

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