Duterte: By 4001, let’s invade China

July 5, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated that at this time, the Philippines could not be hard on China as far as the territorial dispute is concerned.

But Duterte expressed a belief that come 4001, the Philippines has already the capability to invade China.

"In 4001, when we're already strong, let's invade China, let's get our oil," he said in a speech during the anniversary celebration of the Office of the Solicitor General on Tuesday.

Duterte insisted that the Philippines could not go to war with China at this time to assert sovereignty over the South China Sea.

The Duterte administration has been criticized by some quarters for being soft in China, which has built artificial islands in the South China Sea, including in those areas within the Philippine 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone.

This was despite the 2016 award by the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal to the Philippines, resulting to the invalidation of China's claim in almost the entire South China Sea through the nine-dash line. Celerina Monte/DMS