China has assured President Duterte they will not claim Benham Rise as part of its territory. Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Office of the Executive Secretary (OES) have been tasked to look into the possibility of changing the name of "Benham Rise" to "Philippine Rise" to emphasize Philippine sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the area. DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo clarified in a TV interview that the President did not allow China to visit Benham Rise but instead made a general invitation when he urged foreign ships to come in.

Geducos, A.C. (2017, April 2). Duterte: China not claiming Benham Rise. Manila Bulletin, pp. 1, 16.