Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Putin's Meeting with Philippine President Signals Bigger, Trickier Russian
Role in Disputed South China Sea

Ralph Jennings

   TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's meeting this
   week with Vladimir Putin in Russia signals Moscow's interest in playing
   a tricky but persuasive role in the South China Sea maritime
   sovereignty dispute now dominated by China and the United States,
   specialists in the region say.
   Duterte is visiting Russia October 1-5, partly to speak with Putin
   about increasing security and defense cooperation, the Philippine
   presidential office website says. Duterte toured Vnukovo Military Base
   Airport in Moscow on Wednesday.
   Russia might offer to sell arms to the Philippines, experts say, having
   sold weapons to other Southeast Asian countries claiming the 3.5
   million-square-kilometer sea. Russian arms sales to the Philippines
   would reduce U.S. military influence in the sea but yet be handled in
   ways that avoid weakening the presence of Moscow's decades-old friend,
   Beijing, they add.
   "For Russia, I think it's clear U.S. influence is very extensive in the
   Philippines, so by selling arms to the Philippines they are in effect
   promoting their political influence," said Aaron Rabena, a research
   fellow at Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation, a Manila
   research organization.
   "There might be certain concern by China about what type of weapons we
   will get from the Russians and where those weapons will be used,"
   Rabena added. Were they to be used in the South China Sea, he said,
   "then the Chinese might raise their eyebrows."

.