Aquino: Pact on increased US military presence not yet final

AP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines —President Benigno Aquino III on Friday said that Manila’s agreement with Washington on increased rotational presence of US forces in the country has yet to  be finalized.

“The talks are not yet through. There are still meetings being held…to meet our needs and the American’s needs,” Aquino said amid a seething territorial conflict with China over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Aquino at the sidelines of the 21st Travel Tour Expo at Pasay City said the two countries still have to look into the nuances and laws relevant to the agreement.

China and the Philippines, along with Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan, have overlapping claims across the busy and resource-rich West Philippine Sea, with China and Taiwan claiming the largest swathe of the strategic waters.

The Philippines has brought the long-raging territorial disputes before an arbitration body backed by the United Nations. In its complaint, Manila listed several aggressive moves it alleged were launched by China in recent years to fortify its territorial claims, including the occupation of West Philippine Sea Sea islands and the enactment of a Chinese law that allows Chinese patrol vessels to block and board foreign ships passing through Chinese-claimed waters.

The Philippines will submit its legal defense and evidence before the tribunal before a March 30 deadline.

But China has ignored the Philippines’ legal move, insisting on one-on-one negotiation to resolve regional territorial conflicts. Such a negotiation, which would give China an advantage because of its sheer size, has been rejected by the Philippines. With Associated Press