Don’t expect the Chinese state media to assail the Duterte administration like it has assailed the current administration on the subject of the West Philippine Sea (WPS- South China Sea) territorial disputes.
According to a story posted on ABS-CBN news Saturday (June 4), Beijing’s propaganda machine is currently planning how it would handle a possible unfavorable ruling by the United Nations (UN)-sanctioned Permanent Court of Arbitration on the case filed by the Philippines under the Aquino government.
Part of this strategy is to “refrain from slamming” incoming president Rodrigo Duterte, who officially takes over Malacañang after June 30.
This chummy-chummy treatment is expected to give China some wiggle room for negotiations if and when the international court says the Philippines was right all along on its claims.
China has a blanket claim over the entire South China Sea, a stance that has placed it at odds with smaller neighbors such as the Philippines.
Duterte, who was voted for president by 16 million people in last month’s polls, earlier expressed openness to drop the country’s territorial claims at-sea if China was willing to help his government build railway systems.
However, in past weeks, the tough-talking Duterte has said that he would wait for the result of the arbitration first before baring his administration’s next move.
