Philippine President Duterte personally decided to allow China

菲律賓總統杜特蒂同意中國的外海研究

China's vessels have been prowling the waters of Benham Rise for several months and sparked debates over its intentions


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A Philippine presidential spokesman revealed that President Duterte personally decided to allow China conduct scientific research of the Philippines' Pacific coast, although China's presence sparked concern over maritime sovereignty, reported Reuters.

Harry Roque, official spokesman of the Philippine president told Reuters that Mr. Duterte, as the chief architect of the country's foreign policy, allowed China to work with the University of the Philippines on Benham Rise, a seismically active undersea region, and anyone opposed to this decision should raise their concern with Congress.

In 2012, Benham Rise was declared to be a part of the country's continental shelf and is believed to be rich in biodiversity and tuna by scientists.

China's vessels have been prowling the area for several months and have caused debate about their intentions.

Duterte's granting of permission to China was not announced until a lawmaker, who has been fiercely critical of Philippine president's close ties with Beijing, revealed it to the public a few days ago.