Are the current relationships with USA and China going to be stretched?

[ASEAN NOW News]

 

This week President Rodrigo R. Duterte revealed that Chinese President Xi Jinping wanted to speak with him.

 

“I'm scheduled to...April 8. Xi Jinping wants to speak to me. We’re friends,” he said.

 

He earlier described China’s vaccine donation as a “gesture of friendship and solidarity,” which to him is the hallmark of the Philippine-China partnership.

 

Will not sit idly

 

Meanwhile, Duterte reiterated his warning that if Russia decides to use nuclear weapons during its invasion of Ukraine, “China would not sit idly.”

 

“I also realize that if it will be a full-scale war, it will spill over. If Russia attacks, then there is going to be a serious problem. China will not just sit idly there. It will also attack, it will take over Taiwan,” he said.

 

He said this incident could spell trouble for the Philippines.

 

“The problem is the Philippines will also take a hit if there’s a full-scale war because there are Americans here,” he added.

 

Live fire exercises with US Troops

 

Meanwhile over five hundred Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) along with US troops to part in combined arms live-fire exercises (CALFEX) held by "Balikatan" troops on Thursday to improve the interoperability of Filipino and American forces.

 

Duterte said the Philippines will not deploy troops to assist if the US intervenes in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

 

“I will never, never commit the Armed Forces my soldiers, to go to war. We are not even connected, however big or small,” he said.

 

Dangerous tightrope

 

With the current Presidential elections in full swing, outgoing President Duterte was possibly putting the incoming new president into a possible conflict with two major allies.

 

Both China and the US have been wooing the Philippines with free vaccines, major investments, and general assistance.

 

So, both countries will not take kindly if the Philippines is seen to be siding with one or the other.

 

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