As critics question the presence of the Chinese ship that hit a Filipino boat near Recto Bank earlier this month, President Duterte said China would continue to fish within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) because of the friendship between the two countries. “I don’t think that China would do that. Why? Because we’re friends,” Duterte told reporters Monday in Mandaluyong City, when asked if China should be prevented from fishing in the Philippines’ EEZ. “And they are of the same view that that should not result in any bloody confrontation,” he added.

Romero, A., Visperas, E., & Lee-Brago, P. (2019, June 26). Rody: No stopping China from fishing in Phl waters. The Philippine Star, pp. 1, 7.