While the Philippines eyes bilateral talks with China, Beijing slammed the door on Manila, saying it cannot negotiate with the Philippines if the Duterte administration does not scrap the historic ruling of the arbitral tribunal in The Hague on the South China Sea dispute. “China will not allow any negotiation based on the ruling,” Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said in a press briefing on Wednesday. Liu made the statement after a journalist asked him if the Philippines’ rejection of the ruling was a “precondition for the resumption of negotiations.” The query provoked a scornful reply from Liu.

Doronilla, A. (2016, July 18). PH-China talks to test Rody's diplomatic mettle. Philippine Daily Inquirer, pp. A1, A20.