DUTERTE: PHILIPPINES MILITARY COULD TEAM UP WITH CHINA FOR NAVAL EXERCISES

Photo credit: Newsweek

The Philippines is currently involved in a maritime dispute with China over its interests in the South China Sea, although Duterte is attempting to forge closer ties with the country. A day before Duterte visited the warships, the Philippines omitted negative language about international concerns over China’s “militarization” of islands in the disputed South China Sea from a statement issued after a summit of Southeast Asian leaders.

President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines said he is open to his country holding joint military exercises with China after visiting Chinese naval ships docked Monday in his hometown of Davao City.

"Yes, I said I agree. We can have joint exercises here in Mindanao, maybe in the Sulu Sea," Duterte said after visiting the two Chinese warships and a support vessel visiting the region as part of a goodwill cruise. Duterte said the three Chinese ships showed “that we are friends” with China and “that’s why I welcome them here.”

The invitation alarmed international human rights groups. During his campaign for president, Duterte promised a “bloody war” against criminals and said he’d kill 100,000 of them in his first six months in office. He also vowed to reintroduce capital punishment for a range of crimes, including drugs, rape and murder.

Duterte’s comments also come days after President Donald Trump had a “very friendly conversation” with the Philippines president. That phone call resulted in an invitation for Duterte, who is accused of ordering the deaths of thousands of Filipinos in the nation's violent war on drugs, to visit the White House.

Human Rights Watch has urged Trump to hold Duterte accountable on his visit, saying the U.S. has an “obligation” because of the “brutally violent deaths of thousands of Filipinos” in the country’s ongoing drug war. Unlike President Barack Obama, Trump has not criticized the deaths.

Source: Channel News Asia