MANILA: While facing increasing pressure to revisit his West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) policy in his own country, President Rodrigo Duterte has earned praises in the opinion section of a state-published newspaper in China.
In the article which saw print in the Global Times, a newspaper published by the ruling Communist Party’s People’s Daily, columnist Li Qinqing recalled parts of the President’s State of Nation Address where Duterte said he does not want the sea dispute to lead to war and defended his verbal fishing deal that allows Chinese fishermen to fish in waters within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.