'Not our problem': Palace washes hands of China-US warship tiff

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/04/10/041017_shoal.jpg"/></figure></div><p>MANILA - Malacañang on Sunday distanced itself from a maritime incident near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea involving China and the Philippines&#x27; longtime ally the United States.</p><p>An American missile destroyer last week sailed within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal, a ring of reefs that lies about 230 kilometers from the Philippines, where Beijing&#x27;s claims are contested by other nations, including Manila.</p><p>Beijing on Saturday said it had dispatched a warship to drive away the US vessel that had &quot;violated&quot; its sovereignty and put Chinese ships &quot;under grave threat.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Problema ng America iyan dahil tayo naman, iba ang ating taktika sa pakikipagsama natin sa Tsina,&quot; Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told radio DZMM.</p><p>(That is America&#x27;s problem because for our part, we have different tactics in dealing with China.)</p><p>&quot;Dumating na po tayo sa punto na mayroon na tayong independiyenteng panlabas na relasyon at ang problema po ng Amerika ngayon ay hindi na po problema ng Pilipinas.&quot;<br/> <br/>(We have reached a point where we have independent foreign relations, and a problem of America is no longer a problem of the Philippines.)</p><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1440908" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><p>China in 2012 seized control of Scarborough Shoal, following a 3-month standoff where the Philippines tried to arrest Chinese fishermen found illegally hauling giant clams there.</p><p>Washington, Manila&#x27;s only treaty ally, dispatched patrol vessels in the strategic waters, intensified joint patrols with Filipino troops and backed an arbitration case filed by then President Benigno Aquino III.</p><p>The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in 2012 and invalidated China&#x27;s historic claims to the resource-rich sea.</p><p>But Duterte has set aside the arbitral ruling as he sought to forge closer ties with Beijing.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/20/17/duterte-to-raise-arbitration-win-if-china-exploits-disputed-waters">Duterte to raise arbitration win if China exploits disputed waters</a></li></ul><p>China has stopped driving Filipino boats away from Scarborough, Roque noted.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/04/09/17/at-strategic-shoal-china-asserts-power-through-control-and-concessions">At strategic shoal, China asserts power through control, and concessions</a></li></ul>

<p>Malacañang on Sunday distanced itself from an incursion of longtime ally US near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, which has angered Beijing.</p>

Malacañang on Sunday distanced itself from an incursion of longtime ally US near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, which has angered Beijing.

'Not our problem': Palace washes hands of China-US warship tiff | ABS-CBN

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'Not our problem': Palace washes hands of China-US warship tiff

'Not our problem': Palace washes hands of China-US warship tiff

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 21, 2018 02:17 PM PHT

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Updated Jan 22, 2018 08:21 PM PHT

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Scarborough

China

South China Sea

US

Malacanang

Harry Roque

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