The Philippines has warned China that it will go to war over natural resources in the South China Sea, as well as identifying other “red lines”, or actions Manila would find unacceptable, including construction activities at a disputed shoal, the Philippines foreign ministry said on Monday.
Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said that among the territorial issues discussed with China were the unilateral extraction of oil and gas in the South China Sea.
“Nobody can extract natural resources there on their own,” Cayetano said. “The president has declared that. If anyone gets the natural resources in the West Philippine Sea-South China Sea, he will go to war.”