Duterte: 2016 arbitral ruling on SCS beyond compromise

Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte has made his strongest statement yet defending a 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidated China's expansive claims in the South China Sea.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Duterte declared the ruling "beyond compromise and beyond the reach of passing governments to dilute, diminish or abandon."

He affirmed the Philippines' rejection of efforts to undermine the ruling and welcomed growing international support for it.

This marks a shift from Duterte's previous stance of downplaying the ruling and distancing the Philippines from the United States, its traditional ally, in favor of closer ties with China.

Recent months have seen the Philippine government gradually moving back towards the US, influenced by China's increased assertiveness in the South China Sea and the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.