Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte sits beside former President Benigno Aquino Jr. (Photo : Getty Images)
President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines said that he will visit China and Russia this year to foster trade relations as a part of the government's independent trade policy from the U.S.
His main concern with China is over a South China Sea arbitration ruling won by the Philippines in July. He wants to open talks with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow.
Analysts believe that the president's moves to create deep relationships with China and Russia are to even the negotiation field with the U.S.
"I am ready to not really break ties but we will open alliances with China and Medvedev," Duterte said.
The President also said that the country is at a "point of no return" with regard to relations with Washington. He said, "I am about to cross the Rubicon between me and the U.S. It's the point of no return."
State Department spokesman Mark Toner said that they have not received any word on the comments of Duterte and that U.S. and Philippines relations remain strong.
He said, "They're a sovereign nation and we're certainly not going to hold them back from pursuing closer relations with either of those countries. . . . It's not a zero-sum game."
Toner also was quick to deny that the U.S. was preparing for war at the South China Sea.
"The United States has a strong security presence in the Asia-Pacific region, but we're certainly not looking to start a military action against anyone," he said.
The U.S. embassy in Manila announced the deployment of a pair of C130 planes and 100 troops at an air base in the central Philippines. This is part of the visiting forces agreement between the Philippines and the U.S.
Jonathan Ravelas, a market strategist in Manila, said, "Keep your friends close, your enemies closer. I guess this is what he is doing now with China and the U.S. This could be a strategy to get China to the negotiating table. It seems a good strategy for a small country like the Philippines who has little influence in the region."
