MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines should strengthen its economy rather than compromise its sovereignty to ease diplomatic tensions with China, civil society group Democracy Watch said on Thursday. “The Philippines should not have to choose between protecting its economic interests and defending its sovereignty,” Democracy Watch co-convenor Lloyd Zaragoza said in a statement. Democracy Watch, the civil society arm of Stratbase Institute, said the recent exchanges between Philippine and Chinese officials should serve as a wake-up call for the country to strengthen its economic independence. Rather than treating the diplomatic dispute as a reason to make concessions, the group urged the Philippines to […]...

Keep on reading: PH must not sacrifice sovereignty for better ties with China – group