Philippine Leader Seeks Arms from Russia, China, Pursues Policies Independent from US
Local Editor
The Philippines will pursue "independent" foreign and military policies separate from US interests in the region, the country's president said, announcing that in order to avoid any confrontations with China he would halt joint Filipino navy patrols with the US.
The Asian country may now also look toward China and Russia in order to acquire new weapons so that it can improve its capabilities tackling insurgencies and terrorism in the country.
In April, the Filipino navy began joint South China Sea naval patrols with the US to respond to China building artificial islands over disputed reefs.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has been openly critical of American security policies, announced in a televised speech Tuesday, before military officers in Manila, a ‘paradigm shift' in the country's dealing with allies.
"We are not cutting our alliances - military [alliances] as well. But certainly, we will follow an independent posture and independent foreign policy," Duterte said.
The first step for the Philippines is to opt out of US-led patrols of the South China Sea because the country does "not want trouble," the president said announcing that his navy "will not join any expedition of patrolling the seas... because I do not want my country to be involved in a hostile act."
The shift in the country's foreign policy came a day after Duterte called for the withdrawal of US troops in Mindanao, supposedly to keep them from being killed by the terror group Abu Sayyaf.
A limited US troop contingent was deployed to the country in 2002 to train, advice and provide intelligence and weapons to Filipino troops battling al-Qaeda-linked militant group in the southern Philippines.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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