Philippines urges amicable approach to Beijing over South China Sea

* Philippines retracts tough statement, softens approach
* Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam have complained about China
* Wei on SE Asia tour as U.S.-China rivalry heats up

By Karen Lema
MANILA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo
Duterte on Friday urged a peaceful way out of conflicts with
China over the South China Sea and said international law must
be followed, amid increased regional friction over military
activities by Beijing and Washington.
Duterte made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Chinese
defence minister, Wei Fenghe, whose tour of four Southeast Asian
countries coincides with some rhetorical sparring between the
United States and China over the disputed waterway.
"We must always be guided by our commitments in
international law. Any and all disputes must be resolved
peacefully," Duterte said in a statement.
The Philippines, particularly its military, has a deep
mistrust of China over what it sees as intrusions into its
territory, bullying of its fishermen and denial of access to its
energy resources. Vietnam and Malaysia have made similar
complaints this year.
China maintains its activities are lawful, because they are
in its waters.
Ties have improved somewhat due to Duterte's courting of and
praise for the Chinese leadership.
Wei, who has also visited Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei,
had earlier met with Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin
Lorenzana, an outspoken critic of China's maritime conduct.
A defence ministry statement summarising the meeting said
Lorenzana and Wei committed to resolve disputes amicably and
advance mutual trust and interests.
However, that statement contrasted sharply from one issued
earlier and later retracted, which said Lorenzana had told Wei
that any activities infringing on Philippine maritime territory
would be challenged by its navy.
Lorenzana said the Philippines would patrol its waters,
according to the retracted statement, which referred to a 2016
arbitration ruling on the South China Sea that Lorenzana had
told Wei would be adhered to "without any possibility of
compromise or change".
The arbitration case is highly sensitive to China because
the tribunal invalidated its claim of historic jurisdiction over
nearly the entire South China Sea.
The ministry gave no reason for revising the statement and
did not respond to questions from Reuters. China's foreign
ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.