President Rodrigo Duterte, while minimizing the possibility of China shutting down the Philippine power supply, promised to “quarrel” with the Asian giant should it interfere with the latter’s electricity system.
READ: ‘China can paralyze PH energy supply’
“China, if you do that, there will be a quarrel. I may not overcome you but you will receive from me a mouthful then I will go to other places and look for help,” said Duterte on Friday night in an interview with CNN Philippines.
It was the first time in his presidency, after he made a China pivot three years ago, that he made the threat, although he underlined he did not think China would shut down the country’s power supply, a possibility floated by an internal report for Philippine lawmakers obtained by CNN.
The report, prepared by an unnamed government agency, claimed that Chinese engineers had access to “key elements of the system, and that power could, in theory, be deactivated remotely on Beijing’s orders.”
Meanwhile, President Duterte said his countrymen should not be alarmed over China’s co-ownership of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, a private consortium that manages and operates the Philippines’ power grid.
“My answer to that is very simple. It’s a business so why would China cut it [power grid]?” he said.
In the interview with CNN Philippines, the President said China merely intended to earn money and had no intention to control the Philippines’ power transmission infrastructure.
“China just helped us. It acted in good faith because it wants to improve ties with other nations since most of them are Americans’ allies. So they are trying to help everybody,” Duterte added in a mix of Filipino and English.
China’s State Grid Corp. controls 40 percent of the NGCP, which supervises the management and operation of the country’s power transmission lines owned by state-owned National Transmission Corp.
Former Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Tuesday said Beijing’s co-ownership of the NGCP should be a “cause for concern” because it has the capability to shut down the Philippines’ power grid.
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said such claim was “completely groundless,” while the NGCP clarified that State Grid Corp.’s role is limited to being a “technical adviser.”
READ: China: Grid security fears ‘groundless’
Duterte assured the public that China had no potential to stop the power grid’s operations.
He also said there was no basis for Beijing to take actions that were detrimental to its ties with Manila.
Duterte said while he considered China as a “friend,” he would not hesitate to pick a fight against Beijing, in case it would shut down the transmission lines.
”I will tell China, ‘Look China, we’re friends, we’re doing business. You want money. We want money. It produces money for both of us. Now, do you intent to cut it and for what reason? You answer me,’” he said.
”Why would you take control out of a thing that you would offer. I will not allow that. You know China if you do that, there will be a quarrel. I may not overcome you but you will receive from me a mouthful,” the President added.
