The Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte is poised to hold bilateral talks with China to peacefully settle the South China Sea dispute and might push for resource-sharing arrangements instead of triggering a confrontation with the military superpower.

Like Us on Facebook

Political analysts on Monday said that after the Hague-based court ruled that there is no legal basis for Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea, it was now up to the Philippines to make the next move to resolve the matter.

Despite his tough-talking image, Duterte is widely expected to tread cautiously on the South China Sea issue, taking into consideration Manila's trade relations with China as well as his promise to the Filipino people that he will uphold their interests in the disputed sea.

National Security Council

On Monday, Duterte will hold his first National Security Council meeting and on top of his agenda would be the South China Sea issue, which includes Manila's planned bilateral negotiations with Beijing.

Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos on Saturday accepted Duterte's offer to become Manila's special envoy to negotiate with China.

At a press briefing held in Manila, Ramos, 88, said he was physically fit to take on the new job as Manila's special envoy.

He said that he has received clearance from his doctors following a routine medical check-up, but admitted that he is still treating his heart condition.

Resource-sharing

"President Duterte is likely to choose negotiations with China, including the possibility of a resources-sharing arrangement for the disputed territorial claims, rather than triggering a confrontation with Asia's military superpower," explained Rajiv Biswas, Asia-Pacific chief economist at IHS Markit.

Biswas said that contrary to the White House's fear that Duterte would easily demand economic concessions from China to resolve the South China Sea dispute, the Philippines leader has made it clear that the negotiations with Beijing would be based on the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA).

The ruling rejected China's claims to the South China Sea under its nine-dash line and stated that Beijing has violated the Philippines' rights to explore its exclusive economic zone by building artificial islands on the Mischief Reef.

China, who boycotted the court proceedings, dismissed the ruling as "null and void" and a "political farce."

Multilateral talks

The US, which was in favor of multilateral talks to resolve the South China Sea dispute, has given way to the Philippines to negotiate with Beijing but pointed out that Washington would be watching for development in the Sino-Philippine negotiations.

"At the end of the day, all Duterte really wants is for both China and the U.S to be forced to take the Philippines and its interests seriously, and to this end he will avoid both unconditional support for Washington's agenda and acceptance of China's conditions," Stratfor's East Asia analyst Thomas Vien said. 

TagsSouth China Sea, bilateral talks, nine dash line, arbitral court ruling, china, Philippines