The Philippine president said on Saturday he would "set aside" a ruling by an international arbitration tribunal that invalidated Beijing's claims to most of the busy South China Sea, because he doesn't want to impose on China.
Rodrigo Duterte made the remarks when asked if a new report that China apparently installed anti-aircraft and anti-missile weapons on its new artificial islands in the disputed waters would affect his perception of Beijing.
The Philippines claims the reefs that were turned by China into man-made islands.
Duterte, who took office in June, has taken steps to mend relations with China that grew hostile during the time of his predecessor, Benigno Aquino, over the long-unresolved territorial disputes.
"In the play of politics, now, I will set aside the arbitral ruling. I will not impose anything on China," Duterte said.
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He explained his position partly by repeating his threat to remove American forces out of the Philippines after the Obama administration criticised his government's bloody crackdown on illegal drugs.
"I will demand that they go out of my country. What's the use of keeping, hosting them when they think we are a bunch of criminals?" Duterte asked.
"Go, go out. If you do not believe in us, why deal with us? Son of (bitches)."
Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said on Friday the Philippines won't take any steps against China in response to the report that China appears to have installed weapons to guard against missile attack on its seven newly created islands.
Asked if his department plans to issue any statement or ask China to clarify, Yasay said, "We want to make sure that there will be no further actions that will heighten the tensions between the two countries, particularly in the Scarborough Shoal."
He was referring to a disputed fishing area off the Philippines' northwestern coast where tensions recently eased when Chinese coast guard ships allowed Filipinos to fish after blocking them from the area since 2012.
"We cannot stop China at this point in time and say 'Do not put that up.' We will continue to pursue peaceful means at which all of these can be prevented," Yasay said.
