Philippines - Duterte watch

[mike2011]

A qualifier from the Phils DFA:

Wait for guidelines on Duterte's speech

October 21, 20162:34pm

 

Reuters

 

The Philippines has urged the public to wait for guidelines before interpreting President Rodrigo Duterte's announcement in Beijing that Manila will separate from the United States.

"There is no rush for us to interpret the speech of the president as we have to wait for guidelines that would be coming from him, from the Department of Foreign Affairs, as soon as they come back," said Maria Banaag, assistant secretary at the presidential communications office.

Duterte announced his "separation" from the United States on Thursday, declaring he had realigned with China as the two agreed to resolve their South China Sea dispute through talks.

Duterte made his comments in Beijing, where he was visiting with at least 200 business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance as relations with longtime ally Washington deteriorate.

[mike2011]

More on his foreign policy:

Duterte aligns Philippines with China, says U.S. has lost

 

'Brothers' Xi and Duterte cement new-found friendship

01:59

 

•  
•  
•  
•  

By Ben Blanchard | BEIJING

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced his "separation" from the United States on Thursday, declaring he had realigned with China as the two agreed to resolve their South China Sea dispute through talks.

Duterte made his comments in Beijing, where he is visiting with at least 200 business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance as relations with longtime ally Washington deteriorate.

"In this venue, your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States," Duterte told Chinese and Philippine business people, to applause, at a forum in the Great Hall of the People attended by Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli.

"Both in military, not maybe social, but economics also. America has lost."

Duterte's efforts to engage China, months after a tribunal in the Hague ruled that Beijing did not have historic rights to the South China Sea in a case brought by the previous administration in Manila, marks a reversal in foreign policy since the 71-year-old former mayor took office on June 30.

His trade secretary, Ramon Lopez, said $13.5 billion in deals would be signed during the China trip.

"I've realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to (President Vladimir) Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world - China, Philippines and Russia. It's the only way," Duterte told his Beijing audience.

Duterte's remarks will prompt fresh concern in the United States, where the Obama administration has seen Manila as an important ally in its "rebalance" of resources to Asia in the face of a rising China.

The administration agreed a deal with Duterte's predecessor granting U.S. forces rotational access to bases in the Philippines and further doubts will be raised about the future of this arrangement.

In Washington, the U.S. State Department said it was "baffled" by Duterte's comments and would seek an explanation when Daniel Russel, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, visits Manila this weekend.

"We are going to be seeking an explanation of exactly what the president meant when he talked about separation from the U.S.," said State Department spokesman John Kirby. "It's not clear to us exactly what that means in all its ramifications."

Both the State Department and the White House portrayed Duterte's comments as being at odds with the close, long-standing alliance between the two countries. They said Washington would welcome closer ties between Beijing and Manila, however.

"The U.S.-Philippine alliance is built on a 70-year history, rich people to people ties and a long list of shared security concerns," White House spokesman Eric Schultz told reporters, noting that the administration has not received any request from Filipino officials to alter bilateral cooperation.

A few hours after Duterte's speech, his top economic policymakers released a statement saying that, while Asian economic integration was "long overdue", that did not mean the Philippines was turning its back on the West.

 

President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping review the guard of honor as they attend a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, October 20, 2016. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

 

"We will maintain relations with the West but we desire stronger integration with our neighbors," said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia in a joint statement. "We share the culture and a better understanding with our region."

 

RED CARPET WELCOME

China has pulled out all the stops to welcome Duterte, including a marching band complete with baton-twirling band master at his official greeting ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People, which is not extended to most leaders.

President Xi Jinping, meeting Duterte earlier in the day, called the visit a "milestone" in ties.

Xi told Duterte that China and the Philippines were brothers and they could "appropriately handle disputes", though he did not mention the South China Sea in remarks made in front of reporters.

"I hope we can follow the wishes of the people and use this visit as an opportunity to push China-Philippines relations back on a friendly footing and fully improve things," Xi said.

Following their meeting, during which Duterte said relations with China had entered a new "springtime", Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said the South China Sea issue was not the sum total of relations.

"The two sides agreed that they will do what they agreed five years ago, that is to pursue bilateral dialogue and consultation in seeking a proper settlement of the South China Sea issue," Liu said.

China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

In 2012, China seized the disputed Scarborough Shoal and denied Philippine fishermen access to its fishing grounds.

Liu said the shoal was not mentioned and he did not answer a question about whether Philippine fishermen would be allowed there. He said both countries had agreed on coastguard and fisheries cooperation, but did not give details.

 

SEA DISPUTE TAKES 'BACK SEAT'

 

[mike2011]

Here the official declaration - still no transcript of the Duterte speech just Tagalog youtube videos

 

Joint Statement of the Republic of the Philippines and the People's Republic of China

 

 

 

• Print

Beijing, October 21, 2016

 

1.    At the invitation of H.E. President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte of the Republic of the Philippines undertook a state visit to China from 18 to 21 October 2016.

2.   During the visit, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and President Xi Jinping had a fruitful meeting in an amicable and friendly atmosphere and conducted in-depth exchanges on bilateral relations as well as international and regional issues of shared interest. H.E. Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council, and H.E. Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, met with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. H.E. Zhang Gaoli, Vice Premier of the State Council, and President Rodrigo Roa Duterte also attended the opening ceremony of Philippines-China Economic and Investment Forum and delivered remarks.

3.    Both sides acknowledge the centuries-old bonds of friendship of the two peoples. Both sides agree that the mutual understanding and friendship of the two peoples are important. Both sides will make concerted efforts to cement the traditional friendship of the two peoples.

4.    Both sides agree that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Philippines-China relations have enjoyed smooth development and remarkable progress in many areas of cooperation which have benefited both countries and peoples.

5.    Both sides commit to further enrich Philippines-China bilateral relations, founded on mutual respect, sincerity, equality and mutual benefit, which is conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity.

6.    Both sides reaffirm the principles contained in the Philippines-China Joint Communiqué of 1975 and other documents, whose principles include, among others, the principle of the peaceful settlement of all disputes and the Philippines’ adherence to the One-China Policy.

7.    Both sides affirm their partnership and their common aspiration to achieve sustainable development and inclusive growth that will benefit the peoples of both countries. Both sides agree that this is a milestone visit which will infuse new energy to bring tangible benefits to the peoples of the two countries. Both sides will work together to pursue the sound and stable development of the strategic and cooperative relationship for peace and development.

8.    Both sides acknowledge the great importance of maintaining high-level exchanges in promoting the all-around development of bilateral relations.

9.    Both sides welcome the signing during the visit of various agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), as listed in the Annex.

10.    Both sides express interest in finalizing agreements and MOUs in such areas as education, finance, customs and sports.

11.    Both sides affirm the importance of existing Philippines-China bilateral dialogue mechanisms in enhancing understanding, broadening cooperation and striving for a stronger relationship. Both sides agree to resume the Foreign Ministry Consultations, Consular Consultations, Joint Commission on Economic and Trade Cooperation, Annual Defense Security Talks, Joint Committee on Agriculture, Joint Committee on Science and Technology, and other bilateral dialogue mechanisms.

12.    Both sides will encourage exchange of visits of high-ranking governmental delegations and leaders at the local level, legislative organs, political parties, and civil organizations, and increase interactions and communications.

13.    The Philippines welcomes China’s proposal to open a Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Davao in due course. Proper arrangements for the diplomatic premises in both countries will be made in the spirit of the 1975 Joint Communique, on the basis of international practice and reciprocity, with priority for the most immediate concerns.

14.    Realizing that coordinated action is necessary to combat transnational crimes, the two countries’ relevant agencies, subject to mutually agreed arrangements, will enhance cooperation and communication to combat transnational crimes, including telecommunications fraud, on-line fraud, cybercrimes, drug trafficking, trafficking in persons and wildlife trafficking.

15.    Both sides oppose violent extremism and terrorism in all forms and will cooperate in the fields of information exchange, capacity building, among others, in order to jointly prevent and address the threat of violent extremism and terrorism.

16.    China understands and supports Philippine Government’s efforts in fighting against illicit drugs. Realizing that the problem of illicit drugs poses severe threats to the health, safety and welfare of the peoples of both countries, both sides agree to enhance exchange of intelligence, know-how and technology sharing on fighting against drug crimes, preventive education and rehabilitation facilities.

17.    To further strengthen the efforts to fight against illicit drugs, both sides agree to establish operation mechanism for joint investigation on special cases and intelligence collection purposes. The Philippines thanks China for its offer of assistance in personnel training and donation of drug detection, seizure, and testing equipment to aid in the fight against illicit drugs.

18.    Both sides commit to enhance cooperation between their respective Coast Guards, to address maritime emergency incidents, as well as humanitarian and environmental concerns in the South China Sea, such as safety of lives and property at sea and the protection and preservation of the marine environment, in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law including the 1982 UNCLOS.

19.    Both sides agree to continue discussions with a view to signing a bilateral agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons.

20.    Both sides agree that bilateral defense and military cooperation are important components of bilateral relations. To enhance mutual trust, both sides agree to implement the Philippines-China MOU on Defense Cooperation, through exchanges and cooperation in areas of humanitarian assistance and disaster alleviation and peacekeeping operations.

21.    Both sides agree that bilateral economic cooperation remains strong, but has room for growth. Both sides commit to enhance economic relations in the priority sectors of the two countries by leveraging their complementarity and continuously promoting trade, investment and economic cooperation, through the activities identified under the MOU on Strengthening Bilateral Trade, Investment and Economic Cooperation.

22.    Both sides acknowledge the mutual economic and social benefits gained from the Five Year Development Program for Trade and Economic Cooperation (2011-2016), and announced their commitment to its renewal through the Memorandum of Understanding on the Formulation of the Development Program for Economic Cooperation.

23.    Both sides identify poverty alleviation as their shared aspiration, and agree to exchange best practices and cooperate in projects in this regard.

24.    Both sides express willingness to jointly undertake practical cooperation including infrastructure investment, infrastructure project construction and industrial production capacity. Both sides agree that infrastructure cooperation which are jointly undertaken will be subject to proper procurement process, transparency and in compliance with relevant domestic laws and regulations and international practices.

25.    Both sides will develop financial cooperation including in areas such as concessional loans, preferential buyer’s credit, bonds issuance, loans, investments, securities, and others as mutually agreed upon including special loans for development. Both sides will strengthen cooperation in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and other multilateral and regional development banks.

26.    Both sides express willingness to expand the local currency settlement of bilateral trade and investment, and to coordinate to actively promote the regional financial cooperation which includes the multilateralization of Chiang Mai Initiative (CMIM) and bilateral swap arrangements (BSA). China welcomes the interest of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in participating in the Chinese Interbank Bond Market.

27.    Both sides commit to expand cooperation in agriculture, particularly in such areas as (i) agricultural technology and infrastructure; (ii) agricultural trade;
(iii) irrigation; (iv) climate change adaption and mitigation, and (v) compliance with animal and plant sanitary standards.

28.    Both sides agree to strengthen cooperation on animal and plant inspection and quarantine. The Philippines welcomes China’s announcement to restore permits of relevant Philippine enterprises that export bananas and pineapples to China, and continue to import vapor heat treated mangoes which were packed in facilities that comply with standards set by China.

29.    Both sides will undertake joint efforts to promote cooperation in the fields of high quality hybrid rice seeds, agriculture infrastructure, agricultural machinery, further develop the role of the Sino-Phil Center for Agricultural Technology, and other mutually agreed upon areas. China commits support for the Philippines’ effort to improve its food production capacity, training of agricultural technical professionals, and agricultural and fisheries industry development and capacity building, subject to domestic laws.

30.    China expresses readiness to support Philippine requests for assistance under the framework of the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) in times of emergency.

31.    China expresses readiness to provide assistance to the Philippines in building scientific research industrial system and in science and technology training. Both sides are willing to explore the possibility of jointly building technology transfer centers, joint laboratories, and science and technology resources sharing platforms.

32.    Recognizing the growing two-way tourist arrivals in the past few years and noting momentum that will be driven by the “ASEAN-China Year of Tourism” in 2017, both sides agree to set the goal of intensifying tourism cooperation. Both sides will encourage their citizens to travel to each other’s country, explore the possible increase in capacity entitlements in air services, and encourage airlines to open new flights between Philippine cities, including Davao City and other cities in Visayas and Mindanao, and Chinese cities, which will contribute to the realization of this objective.

33.    Both sides encourage the universities of the two countries to promote meaningful exchanges in the field of research and innovation and to strengthen academic exchanges and the model of university-research-industry communications and cooperation. China expresses readiness to increase allocation of Chinese Government Scholarship for the Philippines in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

34.    Both sides agree to encourage mutual visits of media personnel, exchange of media products, cooperation in facilities, technologies and training between Chinese media and Philippine media including the People’s Broadcasting Corporation. The competent media authority of China is willing to enhance exchanges and cooperation with the Presidential Communication Office of the Philippines.

35.    Both sides express interest in increasing twinning agreements between their cities and provinces, noting that these arrangements will encourage mutual understanding between their peoples and tap cooperation potentials at the local level.

36.    Both sides agree to cooperate in emergency assistance and disaster relief.

37.    Both sides reaffirm the importance of further implementing the “Executive Program of Cultural Agreement between the Philippines and China, 2015-2018” and encouraged their cultural institutions and groups to increase exchange of visits. Both sides will positively consider setting up their respective culture centers in each other’s country.

38.    Both sides attach importance to people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, noting that 2017 marks 600 years of friendly contacts between the Sultanate of Sulu and China, and the Philippines and China expressed interest in holding relevant commemorative activities.

39.    Both sides will explore other areas of bilateral cooperation including in information technology, health, customs cooperation, research and development, education, and other fields that will be mutually beneficial to both countries.

40.    Both sides exchange views on issues regarding the South China Sea. Both sides affirm that contentious issues are not the sum total of the Philippines-China bilateral relationship. Both sides exchange views on the importance of handling the disputes in the South China Sea in an appropriate manner. Both sides also reaffirm the importance of maintaining and promoting peace and stability, freedom of navigation in and over-flight above the South China Sea, addressing their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to the threat or use of force, through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned, in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and the 1982 UNCLOS.

41.    Both sides recall the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States and China on the Full and Effective Implementation of the DOC adopted in Vientiane on 25 July 2016. Both sides commit to the full and effective implementation of DOC in its entirety, and work substantively toward the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) based on consensus.

42.    Both sides agree to continue discussions on confidence-building measures to increase mutual trust and confidence and to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities in the South China Sea that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability. In this regard, in addition to and without prejudice to other mechanisms, a bilateral consultation mechanism can be useful, which will meet regularly on current and other issues of concern to either side on the South China Sea. Both sides also agree to explore other areas of cooperation.

43.    China expresses support for the Philippines’ chairmanship of ASEAN in 2017. Both sides express satisfaction with the growth of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations over the past 25 years and affirmed their commitment to the principle of ASEAN centrality in the evolving regional architecture. China affirms support for ASEAN integration, ASEAN Community Building, as well as ASEAN’s efforts in realizing ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together.

44.    Both sides affirm their continued cooperation in UN, ASEAN Regional Forum, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Asia-Europe Meeting, World Trade Organization, UN Climate Change Conference and other regional and multilateral organizations.

45.    Both sides reaffirm adherence to sovereign equality, non-intervention, and non-interference enshrined in the UN Charter and reiterate their common commitment for the protection and promotion of human rights through dialogue and cooperation in light of the core human rights instruments to which both countries are parties to.

46.    Both sides support the enhancement of the UN’s role through necessary and reasonable reforms. Both sides held that pushing for the implementation of development issues, upholding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, enhancing the voice and representation of developing countries in international affairs should be the priorities in the reform of the UN, including the Security Council, and increasing the role of developing countries in UN decision-making.

47.    President Rodrigo Roa Duterte expressed appreciation for the warm welcome extended by the Chinese side. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte invited President Xi Jinping to visit the Philippines at a convenient time. President Xi Jinping accepted the invitation with pleasure. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte also said that he looked forward to welcoming Chinese leaders to the ASEAN and Related Summits in 2017.

 

ANNEX

List of Signed Cooperation Documents

1.    Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of the People's Republic of China

2.    Memorandum of Understanding between the National Economic and Development Authority of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China for Developing Cooperation on Production Capacity and Investment

3.    Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Works and Highways of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China on Transportation Infrastructure Cooperation Project List

4.    Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Trade and Industry of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Commerce of the Government of the People's Republic of China on Strengthening Bilateral Trade, Investment and Economic Cooperation

5.    Memorandum of Understanding between the National Economic and Development Authority of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China on Formulation of the Development Program for Economic Cooperation

6.    Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Finance of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China on Supporting the Conduct of Feasibility Studies for Major Projects

7.    Action Plan on Agricultural Cooperation between the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China 2017-2019

8.    Memorandum of Agreement between the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China and the Presidential Communications Operations Office of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines on News and Information Exchange, Training and for other Purposes

9.    Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines and the General Administration of Quality Supervision Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China on Cooperation of Animal and Plant Inspection and Quarantine

10.    Memorandum of Understanding between the Philippine Coast Guard and the China Coast Guard on the Establishment of a Joint Coast Guard Committee on Maritime Cooperation

11.    Implementation Program of the Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation between the Department of Tourism of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Tourism Administration of the People’s Republic of China 2017-2022

12.    Protocol on Cooperation between the Philippines Drug Enforcement Agency and the Narcotics Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China; and

13.    Memorandum of Understanding on Financing Cooperation between the Export-Import Bank of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, represented by the Department of Finance

END

[mike2011]

AFP confirmed that he again called Obama a son of a whore

 

Philippines' Duterte announces 'separation' from US

• Posted 21 Oct 2016 02:16
• Updated 21 Oct 2016 05:18

• VIDEOS
• PHOTOS

•  
•  
•  
• Email
• More

•  
• • A
  • A
•  

BEIJING: Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte declared his "separation" from longstanding ally the United States, in Beijing on Thursday, as he rebalances his country's diplomacy towards China.

Duterte is in China for a four-day trip seen as confirming his tilt away from Washington and towards Beijing's sphere of influence - and its deep pockets.

"I announce my separation from the United States," he said to applause at a meeting in the Chinese capital.

"America does not control our lives. Enough bull****," he added in a rambling speech that flipped between languages. "How can you be the most powerful industrial country when you owe China and you are not paying it?"

His comments came after he met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square, with the two men pledging to enhance trust and friendship, while playing down a maritime dispute.

Xi called the two countries "neighbours across the sea" with "no reason for hostility or confrontation", the official Xinhua news agency said.

Under Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino the two countries were at loggerheads over the South China Sea but since taking office in June the new head of state has changed course.

In a statement, the Chinese foreign ministry cited Xi as telling Duterte that difficult topics of discussion "could be shelved temporarily". Duterte called the meeting "historic", it added.

In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said the US considered Duterte's comments "inexplicably at odds with the very close relationship" between the two countries.

"We are going to be seeking an explanation of exactly what the president meant when he talked about separation from the US," he said.

A senior US administration official said the Philippines has so far made no formal request to modify its cooperation with Washington.

ANTI-US RHETORIC

Duterte's visit to Beijing capped a series of recent declarations blasting the US, its former colonial ruler, and President Barack Obama.

Addressing the Filipino community in Beijing on Wednesday, the firebrand leader said the Philippines had gained little from its long alliance with the US. He also repeated his denunciation of Obama as a "son of a whore".

Last month Duterte sparked a diplomatic storm when he used the term to refer to Obama after being told the US president would raise rights concerns at an Asia meeting.

On Wednesday, hundreds of protesters gathered at the US embassy in Manila to voice support for Duterte's recent anti-US rhetoric and call for American troops to leave the country.

Duterte has also suspended joint US-Philippine patrols in the strategically vital South China Sea, and has threatened an end to joint military exercises.

The South China Sea is of intense interest to Washington and it has repeatedly spoken out on the various territorial disputes between China and its neighbours over the waters.

Tensions have risen between the US and China over Washington's so-called "pivot" to the Asia-Pacific, a move that Beijing says is intended to contain it.

In 2012, China seized control of Scarborough Shoal, a fishing ground in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

In a case brought by Aquino, the Philippines won a resounding victory at an international tribunal earlier this year over Beijing's extensive territorial maritime claims in the area, infuriating the Asian giant.

But Duterte, who took office in June, shortly before the tribunal ruling, has made a point of not flaunting the outcome.

Asked whether the leaders had discussed the South China Sea, the foreign ministry's spokesperson Hua Chunying said they had a "candid and friendly exchange of views on how to resolve relevant disputes".

'FULL RECOVERY'

The meeting between Xi and Duterte marked a "full recovery" of the "traditional friendship" between the two countries, Chinese vice minister Liu Zhenmin said, according to a transcript released by the Philippine president's office.

They oversaw the signing of 13 bilateral cooperation documents on business, infrastructure, and agriculture, among other fields, he added.

Beijing has also offered the Philippines a US$9 billion soft loan for development projects, a statement from the Philippine presidential press office said.

About US$15 million of the promised loans will be earmarked for drug rehabilitation programmes amid Duterte's anti-drug campaign, which has killed thousands of people and raised concern abroad of human rights violations.

China will also lift bans on 27 Philippine tropical fruit export companies. Previous sanctions on fruit were intended to punish Manila for its South China Sea stance.

- AFP/de

[mike2011]

Duterte redefining himself as Chinese. For earlier comments on his Chinese 'blood' simply google.

 

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte declares his country’s ‘separation’ from the US

‘It is not the time to go to war... this visit is the defining moment of my presidency’

• Gabriel Samuels
• @gabs_samuels
• 21 hours  ago
• 11 comments

0

Mr Duterte, left and Chinese president Xi Jinping shake hands during the Beijing visit Getty Images

The Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has announced his “separation” from the United States.

He made the comment at a business forum in the presence of Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People during a four-day state visit to China.

It follows Mr Duterte’s admission that a close economic partnership with China is his nation’s “only hope” following a cooling of relations with the US.

“Maybe because I am Chinese, I believe in sincerity,” he said in an extended interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, when asked why the Philippines had changed its policy towards China.

Since 2012, the two countries have been locked in a fierce territorial dispute involving islands in the South China sea, ever since China denied Philippine fishermen access to crucial waters around Huangyan Island.

Read more

• Philippines president reveals he was abused by priest as a child
• Philippines President says he 'doesn't give a s*** about human rights'
• Rodrigo Duterte has support of more than 80 per cent of Filipinos
• Trump thinks China’s leaders are smarter

Duterte said the South China Sea arbitration case would “take the back seat” during talks, and that he would wait for the Chinese to bring up the dispute rather than doing so himself. “It is not the time to go to war” with China, he said, referring to the disagreement.

“The only hope of the Philippines economically, I’ll be frank with you, is China,” he continued. “This visit [to China] is the defining moment of my presidency.

“I would say that China deserves the kind of respect that China now enjoys.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who Mr Duterte is due to hold talks with on Thursday, described the official visit as a milestone which could “push relations between the two countries back on a friendly footing”, calling the Philippines “brothers” to China.

Mr Duterte pointed out that a quarter of the Philippine population is of Chinese descent, including his own grandfather who hailed from the city of Xiamen, and said that at a recent business forum, “everybody [was] shouting” to accompany him to China.

The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte

•  
•  
•  
•  
• 9 show all

 

“This is the start of a souring of relations with America”, he added, before retracting his comment and saying he was not “breaking away from the US” but merely wanted to be “friends with everybody”.

Meanwhile, Beijing has vowed to restore Philippine agricultural exports to China and provide financing for Philippine infrastructure.

Mr Duterte publicly implored President Xi to provide the funds to build a major railroad in the Philippines, “if you can find it in your heart to give it to us”.

In early October, Mr Duterte effectively severed 65 years of military ties between the US and the Philippines by ordering US troops out of the country.

The president, who has been in power since June, has attracted condemnation from the US and EU for encouraging a violent and protracted war on drugs, in which 3,600 have been killed – prompting Mr Duterte to issue expletive-filled dismissals of all who opposed his policies.

[Denim]

Why be verbose?

 

It takes an a--e hole to clean up a shithouse

 

Nuff said.

[mike2011]

Denim: Are you speaking from experience? You sound like it.

 

An interesting piece on the impact of the campaign on the poorer parts of society:

 

No peace for the dead in Rodrigo Duterte's drug war

Families who cannot afford to pay funeral parlour expenses to claim bodies of relatives watch them buried en masse.

 

• 
• 
•  
•  

• 
• 

Friends and family of Vicente Batiancila attend a wake which had lasted three weeks while the family raised funds to pay for the funeral costs [Paul Ratje/Al Jazeera]

By

Joe Henley

 

 

Manila, Philippines - The body of 33-year-old Vicente Batiancila was displayed in a glass-topped coffin in a three-walled tin-roof shack. His family has been holding his wake for three weeks.

It was mid-October, and the temperature in Metro Manila routinely rises above 30 degrees Celsius. His corpse, in danger of decomposing, was in need of a fresh injection of formaldehyde at a cost of 3,500 pesos [$73]. This, however, was the least of his family's worries.

If they failed to get some money together quickly, Batiancila 's body would be buried anonymously with several other corpses in an unmarked mass grave.

Batiancila 's friends and family observed the wake around his coffin, playing card games. They gambled, betting sums of money as a means of donating funds, known as "abuloy", for Batiancila 's funeral - funds his family did not have.

Batiancila 's mother Dorotea, said he was like many in the Market 3 slum in the Navotas Fish Port Complex, a district in the impoverished northwestern region of Metro Manila where his family live. He worked part-time unloading fish from the boats that came into the harbour, pulling 11 or 12-hour shifts a couple of times a week.

The work was hard, the hours long. Batiancila  took to using shabu, a readily available methamphetamine, to help him get through.

He didn't use shabu for pleasure, or leisure, his family insisted. They said he wasn't an addict or a pusher.

Yet, when the police raided a neighbourhood drug den where Batiancila  was making a delivery of milkfish, he was killed all the same. He was, his family said, simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Now Batiancila 's partner, Jocelyn Bellarmina, his mother, and his children were not only left mourning his death. They were also left scrambling to pay for a funeral for which they had never planned - held liable for fees they could not afford.

They didn't have much, said Bellarmina, surviving mostly on the 2,000 pesos [$41] a month Batiancila 's casual work brought in. But they had each other.

"I was surprised that it happened," Bellarmina said, holding 10-month-old baby Jake on her lap. Some mornings, she told Al Jazeera, Jake had put his hand on the glass covering of the coffin, stroking it in the same way he did when trying to wake his father by pawing softly at his face.

"We were very happy."

[sekmet]

Now that Trump is President ,  Duterte need not worry about pesky US intervention . Expect the relationship to warm.