President Duterte on Monday said his order to the military to reinforce islands in the South China Sea controlled by the Philippines was to maintain the geopolitical balance, and assured China that no “offensive weapons” would be placed there. Mr. Duterte said the Philippines wanted peace and friendship with China but Manila needed to bolster what territory it had in the South China Sea because “everybody’s grabbing” islands in the Spratly archipelago. Mr. Duterte set off alarm bells on Thursday, including in Beijing, when he said he had ordered troops to occupy uninhabited islets and shoals in the Spratlys claimed by the Philippines.

Lim, F. (2017, April 11). Duterte set to maintain geopolitical balance in disputed sea. Philippine Daily Inquirer. p. A6.