President Rodrigo Duterte said that it’s “time to say goodbye’ to the United States on a visit to China, ahead of a meeting with President Xi Jinping.
On his four-day trip to China, Duterte signaled that Philippines’ “foreign policy veers now towards” China, and added, “No more American interference. No more American exercises.”
“Your stay in my country was for your own benefit. So time to say goodbye, my friend,” Duterte said as he addressed the Filipino community in Beijing.
“I will not go to America anymore. I will just be insulted there.”
He clarified referring to U.S President Barack Obama as a “son of a whore”,
“What kept us from China was not our own making. I will charter a new course.”
It was remembered when the United States, as well as the International Criminal Court, have denounced the killings of more than 3,700 people as part of Duterte’s campaign in clearing of drugs and crime in the Philippines.
Contrary to U.S.’s position on Duterte’s extrajudicial crackdown on crime, China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that Beijing “appreciates President Duterte’s efforts to crack down on drug crimes and improve social security with the fundamental interests and well-being of his country and people in mind,” as Bloomberg reported.
“China and the Philippines are returning to the right path of properly handling relevant issues through bilateral dialogue and consultation regarding the South China Sea issue,” Hua said. “Friendly neighbors are supposed to get along with each other in this way.”
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