US marines on a beach landing exercise in the Philippines yesterday. President Duterte said such exercises must stop

President Duterte of the Philippines has taken the first concrete steps towards dissolving his country’s 65-year-old military alliance with the United States, halting joint military patrols and ordering American troops to withdraw from the country.

Mr Duterte’s defence minister, Delfin Lorenzana, said that patrols involving Philippines and US navy vessels had ended in the South China Sea, where Manila has been engaged in a tense dispute with China over the islands.

He added that more than 100 American troops flying surveillance drones against Islamic extremists on the south of the country would soon leave, once Philippines soldiers were equipped to take over their duties.

Mr Duterte has repeatedly expressed anger towards the US, European Union and United Nations following criticism of his anti-drug campaign, which