Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has hit out at the European Union (EU) for hypocrisy and called the bloc “sons of bitches” after its lawmakers issued a resolution calling for restraint and a rethink in his bloody war on drugs.

Duterte castigated the EU for urging him to focus his campaign on drugs rehabilitation and stood by his security-centred approach to a crackdown that has left thousands of people dead since he took office nine months ago.

He turned angry during a speech to Chinese businessmen, where he praised China for its no-strings-attached loans and aid and said he did not need the EU, or “idiotic” rehabilitation programmes that failed to stop addicts committing robbery, rape and murder.

“So we're getting a relief now from our hardships because a lot of (Chinese) money is coming in. The EU, they communicated to us, and they want a health-based solution for the drugs. These sons of bitches,” he said.

The EU's rehabilitation approach, he said, entailed administering drugs like cocaine, marijuana and heroin.

“They want us to build clinics, then instead of arresting, putting them in prisons, just like in other countries, you go there and if you want shabu, they will inject you and give you shabu and you go out,” he said, referring to the methamphetamine used in the Philippines.

“Our people will just go there and consume every chemical until kingdom come, until they are crazy... who will answer for these?”

EU lawmakers last week condemned the “many extrajudicial killings” taking place in the Philippines and said the sources of illegal drugs should be targeted, not the consumer. Duterte's aides accused the EU of meddling.

It was not the first time Duterte has scolded the EU. In September he made a middle-finger gesture and made profane comments about the EU, then complained he had been insulted.

The EU is the biggest foreign investor in the Philippines and is its fourth-largest trading partner, offering Manila tariff perks under its Generalised Scheme of Preferences.

Duterte's signature war on drugs has alarmed the international community, with more than 2,500 killed in operations in which police said they fired in self defence.

Thousands of other mysterious killings of drug users have taken place, which human rights groups blame on police. The authorities reject that and attribute them to vigilantes, or drugs gangs covering their tracks.

The government rejects criticism it lacks commitment to rehabilitate drug users and says it is attracting financing and building treatment facilities, but had underestimated the scale of addiction.

The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Show all 9 1 /9 The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On killing drug addicts “These sons of whores are destroying our children. I warn you, don’t go into that, even if you’re a policeman, because I will really kill you. If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful” The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Message to China “I will go there on my own with a Jet Ski, bringing along with me a [Phillipino] flag and a pole, and once I disembark, I will plant the flag on the runway and tell the Chinese authorities, ‘Kill me’ ” AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Christmas message to law-breakers “If you do not want to stop, and just continue committing crimes, then this would be your last Merry Christmas” AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On sex life “I was separated from my wife. I’m not impotent. What am I supposed to do? Let this hang forever? When I take Viagra, it stands up” AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On the drugs trade “None of my children are into illegal drugs. But my order is, even if it is a member of my family, ‘kill him'" AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting the Pope “We were affected by the traffic. It took us five hours. I asked why, they said it was closed. I asked who is coming. They answered, the pope. I wanted to call him: ‘Pope, son of a wh**e, go home. Do not visit us again’” AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Joke about rape “I saw her face and I thought, 'What a pity... they raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first” AFP/Getty The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting Barack Obama "Mr Obama should be respectful and refrain from throwing questions at me about the killings, or son of a bitch, I will swear at you in that forum" REUTERS The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants "If I have to face them, you know I can eat humans. I will really open up your body. Just give me vinegar and salt, and I will eat you. If you annoy me to the fullest... I will eat you alive. Raw" EPA

Duterte said the EU had no business complaining about bloodshed in the Philippines when millions of Europeans were killed last century during the two world wars.

“It's easy to criticise, it's easy to point out mistakes. My God, you trace your history. You also washed your hands with blood. Why are you suggesting a stupid solution?”