BACK from a five-day working visit to Brunei and China, President Duterte ended speculations that his administration was severing diplomatic ties with the United States, saying an estimated 4 million Filipinos living in the US “would kill me” if he did that.
“I meant separation of foreign policy [with the US],” Duterte told reporters upon arrival at Davao International Airport just before midnight on Friday, ending a long day of anxious second-guessing both by Philippine and US officials on what he actually meant in remarks made at a Beijing business forum on Thursday.
Duterte clarified he has no intention at all to cut ties with the US. “It is not severance of ties. I cannot do that,” he said. “It is best that we maintain our relationships because there are many Filipinos living in the US.”
He, however, indicated that under his leadership, the Philippine government will no longer abide by the practice of previous administrations of automatically taking the cue from US foreign policy. “It is not severing diplomatic ties, the Filipinos in the US will kill me,” he said.
Instead, Duterte said his administration is looking at strengthening alliances with other countries.
“What is important is we should agree to work together [with other countries]. It could be an economic alliance separate from US foreign policy,” he added.
Meanwhile, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said the Philippines will maintain its trade and economic ties with the US.
“Let me clarify. The President did not talk about separation,” Lopez told CNN Philippines in Beijing.
In terms of economic [ties], we are not stopping trade, investment with America. The President specifically mentioned his desire to strengthen further the ties with China and the Asean region, which we have been trading with for centuries.”
Lopez said the Philippines was “breaking being too much dependent on one side.” “But we definitely won’t stop the trade and investment activities with the West, specifically the US.”
With CNN Philippines