Philippines' Duterte refuses to stop South China Sea patrols

In this undated handout photo received from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on April 25, 2021, coast guard personnel conduct maritime exercises near Thitu island, in the disputed South China sea. - AFP

MANILA, May 1 (AFP): Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has announced this week that he will not withdraw navy and coast guard boats patrolling the disputed South China Sea, insisting the country's sovereignty over the waters is not negotiable.

Tensions over the sea -- which China claims almost entirely -- have spiked as Beijing refuses to pull out vessels from the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone and Manila steps up maritime patrols.