The Duterte administration’s pivot to China will bring about a change in perception on both sides, allowing a “modus vivendi” of “peace” at the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), the country’s next ambassador to China said on Thursday. ose Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana, president of the Philippine Association of Chinese Studies, said the country’s foreign policy shift would allow cooperation with China without longstanding maritime disputes blocking the way. “Before, we were aligned closely to one side – the US. What we’re doing now is not a swing all the way to China and a tight alignment to China, no. We still remain in the alliance with the US. What we’re doing is [a]separation of foreign policy from the US and the assertion of an independent foreign policy,” he said in a forum in Makati City.

Delizo, M. J. T. (2016, November 11). China pivot yields 'modus vivendi' at West PH Sea. The Manila Times, pp. A1, A8.