Philippines: Duterte says cannot confront China over maritime claims as virus cases keep surging

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (left) delivering his State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the House of Representative attended by only some lawmakers, senators and his cabinet to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in Metro Manila on Monday (July 27, 2020). - AP

MANILA, July 27 (Reuters): Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he had no choice but to treat disputes in the South China Sea as diplomatic endeavours because the alternative was to go to war with China.

Duterte was speaking in defence of his government's decision not to press a 2016 decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which went in favour of the Philippines in a case against China.