Philippines president talks of resolving South China Sea dispute through dialogue in new ‘springtime’ in relations with China

The Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, has announced his “separation” from the United States, saying it has “lost” and he has realigned with China as the two agreed to resolve their South China Sea dispute through talks.



Duterte made his comments in China, 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 the US, a longstanding ally, deteriorate.

His trade secretary, Ramon Lopez, said $13.5bn (£11bn) in deals would be signed.

Duterte’s efforts to engage China, months after a tribunal ruling in The Hague over South China Sea disputes in favour of the Philippines, mark a reversal in foreign policy since the 71-year-old former mayor took office on 30 June.

“America has lost now,” Duterte told Chinese and Philippine business people at a forum in the Great Hall of the People, attended by the Chinese vice-premier, Zhang Gaoli.

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“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,” he added.

“With that, in this venue, your honours, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States,” Duterte said to applause. “I have separated from them. So I will be dependent on you for all time. But do not worry. We will also help as you help us.”

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



The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, meeting Duterte earlier in the day, called the visit a “milestone” in ties. He 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”, China’s vice-foreign minister, Liu Zhenmin, said the South China Sea issue was not the sum total of relations.

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“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 $5tn in ship-borne trade passes every year. Its 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 co-operation, but did not give details.

Duterte’s tone towards Beijing is in contrast to the language he has used against the US, after being infuriated by its criticism of his bloody war on drugs. He has called US president, Barack Obama, a “son of a whore” and told him to “go to hell” while alluding to severing ties with the old colonial power.

China has welcomed the Philippines’ approaches, even as Duterte has vowed not to surrender any sovereignty to Beijing, which views the South China Sea Hague ruling as null and void. China has also expressed support for his drug war, which has raised concern in western capitals about extrajudicial killing.