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Four out of five Filipinos believe it is not right for the government to let China do its infrastructure and have military presence in the West Philippine Sea, according to a Social Weather Station (SWS) survey.

The survey released last Saturday said 81 percent of Filipinos said it is not right to leave China alone with its infrastructure and military presence in the claimed territories while 80 percent said it is right for the government to strengthen the military capability of the Philippines, especially the Navy.

The survey was conducted from June 27-30, 2018, using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults.

Seventy-four percent said it is right for the government to bring the issue to international organizations, like the United Nations or Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), for a diplomatic and peaceful negotiation with China about the claimed territories.

Meanwhile, seventy-three percent said it is all right to have direct, bilateral negotiations between the Philippines and China to discuss resolution of the issue of the claimed territories.

Also, sixty-eight percent said the government should ask other countries to mediate the issue of the claimed territories.

Eighty-one percent are aware of the West Philippine Sea conflict, 43 percent have only a little knowledge about the issue, 40 percent were adequate, and 12 percent have extensive knowledge about it