「日刊まにら新聞」ウェブ

President Rodrigo Duterte declared on Thursday the Philippines’ "separation" from the United States.

He made the pronouncement in front of the Chinese and Filipino businessmen in Beijing where he is on a four-day state visit.

"In this venue, your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from United States, both in military, not in social because of Filipinos (in US), but economic," Duterte said. The audience applauded the president's statement.

"So, please, you have another problem of economic in my country. I have separated from them so I will be dependent on you for all time. But don't worry we will also help as you help us," he added.

Duterte said he may also go to Russia and talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In an emailed statement from Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and National Economic and Development Authority Director General Ernie Pernia, it said the Philippines "will maintain relations with the West but we desire stronger integration withour neighbors."

“The cabinet will move strongly and swiftly towards regional economic integration,” the two officials said.

“This is why the president prioritized foreign trips to ASEAN and Asia. As a result, The Philippines has now opened its opportunities for trade and investment to a market of 1.8 billion people across the region. ASEAN economies have expressed interest in integration. China has committed to open its capital markets,” they said..

Dominguez and Pernia said this regional integration is similar to what has been done in the EU and NAFTA in North America and Mercosur in South America. The Philippines is integrating with ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea, they added.

Earlier, US Embassy spokesperson Molly Koscina said diplomacy should not be a zero-sum game. She told ANC in an interview, "this isn't a zero sum game. You don't have to develop relationship with one country and push away with another country."

She also said the US will continue to raise human rights issue and the due process of law.

Duterte apparently became irritated with the United States after it raised concern on the increasing number of drug suspects being killed in the country in the wake of the administration's all-out war against the drug menace.

The president earlier also said that there would be no more joint military exercises between the Philippines and the US.

He also said American forces in Mindanao should leave the area as he ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines not to join the maritime patrol with the Americans in the disputed South China Sea.

He said that his foreign policy is now geared towards China despite the Manila's territorial row with Beijing. Celerina Monte/DMS