Philippines Concerned About China, Leader Says - NYTimes.comPhilippines Concerned About China, Leader Says - NYTimes.comMain MenuMain MenuType Size:AAANight Mode:DisableEnableAccount:SubscribeLog inThe New York TimesInternational New York TimesSearchGoShareTweetMoreSubscribeSubscribeMy accountLog inWorldPhilippines Concerned About China, Leader SaysShareBy RICK GLADSTONESeptember 23, 2014The president of the Philippines expressed concern on Tuesday about what he called the “hot to cold” messages from China in the protracted territorial disputes with his country — and others in the region — over areas of the South China Sea.In an interview, the president, Benigno S. Aquino III, who was visiting to attend a United Nations summit meeting on climate change, made it clear that the territorial disputes had created a tense backdrop to the relationship between the Philippines and China and a geopolitical point of contention that also has entangled the United States, an ally of the Philippines.China and the Philippines have been locked in a standoff over an area of the South China Sea near the Philippines coast called Scarborough Shoal for more than two years. In May, they became embroiled in another dispute over part of the Spratly Islands known as Johnson South Reef. The Philippines has filed a case against China with a United Nations tribunal, demanding arbitration of territorial disagreements.Increasingly assertive about these claims, China has also engaged in maritime disputes with Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam in different parts of the South China Sea, and with Japan over islands in the East China Sea. President Benigno S. Aquino IIISeth Wenig / Associated PressThe Chinese have sought one-on-one talks with the Philippines to resolve the dispute, but Mr. Aquino has rejected that approach — there are at least four countries with overlapping claims in the Spratlys alone, he said, so it makes no sense for two of the countries to negotiate with each other.“We cannot agree to bilateral talks to solve the problem, because we think the problem is multilateral,” he said. “A multilateral problem has to be settled multilaterally.”He described the relationship with China as confusing at times. While trade between the two nations continues to grow, he said, a travel advisory is in force in China discouraging visits to the Philippines. Other mixed messages recur as well. “There was a time when they were stopping our exports of bananas,” Mr. Aquino said.“At the end of the day, it goes from hot to cold, sometimes they’re very conciliatory, sometimes they make very provocative statements,” he said. “We will confess we don’t understand some of the messages sometimes. We’re not sure.”China has contended that ancient maritime maps from dynasties past support its claim on the Scarborough Shoal.This month, the Philippines sought to rebut that claim by producing its own maps, some dating to the 12th century, showing that China had no ownership claim on islands below its southernmost region, Hainan, Philippine newspapers reported.Related CoveragePhilippine Leader Sounds Alarm on China Feb 4, 2014ShareSaveShow Full Article                            xSharexEmailTwitterRedditGooglePermalinkhttp://nyti.ms/1qrWVlIToolsSaveMore In WorldArgentine President Now Says Prosecutor’s Death Was Not a SuicidePresident Cristina Fernández de Kirchner said she believed that the lead investigator of the 1994 bombing of a Jewish center did not commit suicide.U.S. and Cuba Set to Discuss Diplomatic TiesThe nations on Wednesday discussed migration, and a meeting on Thursday will cover matters like reopening embassies.Citing Falling Oil Prices, Iraq Seeks Arms on Credit to Fight ISIS4:36 PM ETPrime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the precipitous drop in prices posed a fresh challenge to his military’s efforts to push back Islamic State militants.Back to topMain MenuHomeHomeWorldU.S.U.S. NewsPoliticsU.S. PoliticsThe UpshotNew YorkBusinessBusinessBusiness DayTechnologySportsSportsOpinionOpinionScienceHealthArtsArtsStyleStylePhotosVideoMost EmailedTimes PremierMore SectionsAutomobilesBlogsBooksFoodFoodFoodEducationHome & GardenMagazineMoviesMusicMedia & AdvertisingObituariesPublic EditorGreat Homes and DestinationsReal EstateSunday ReviewT MagazineTelevisionTheaterTimes WireTravelWeddingsCorrectionsRecommendationsSavedSettingsEdition:Type Size:AAANight Mode:DisableEnableAccount:SubscribeLog inDownload Our AppsNYTimesNYT NowDownload the NYTimes appHelpSubscribeFeedbackTerms of ServicePrivacy© 2015 The New York Times Company