President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday hit the United States anew, this time for failing to stop Beijing’s island-building activities in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Only the US, Duterte said, has the capability to stop China’s actions in the disputed waters, but the superpower appeared to have let the Chinese have their way, to the consternation of neighboring countries. The Duterte administration has been pushing for closer ties with China, but the President has vowed to raise the July 2016 international arbitration ruling in favor of the Philippines to the Chinese government at some point.

Valente, C. S. (2017, March 30). Duterte confronts US over SChina Sea. The Manila Times, pp. AI, A2.