DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said that should he be elected president, he will hold talks with China in order to resolve the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
In his speech during the proclamation rally of the Partidong Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) on Monday at Century Park Hotel, Duterte said that the country should avoid unnecessary drama with regard to resolving the issue with China.
“I will talk to them. Huwag na tayong mag-drama,” Duterte said.
He even recalled his talk with a Chinese official when he said that the emerging world superpower should leave the Filipino fishermen alone because fishing in the disputed waters is their source of livelihood.
“If you continue f****** with us, you will see me standing there in Spratlys and you have to kill me,” the tough-talking mayor said.
The Philippines took China to the United Nations arbitral court in the hopes of resolving the territorial row.
China has refused to participate in the arbitration proceedings.
Duterte was officially proclaimed as the standard-bearer of PDP-Laban on Monday with Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as his running mate.