Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday he would not sever his nation's alliance with the United States, as he clarified his announcement that he planned to "separate".
"It's not severance of ties. Severance is to cut diplomatic relations. I cannot do that. WhyIJ It's in the best interests of my country that I don't do that," Duterte told reporters in his hometown of Davao after returning from China.
The firebrand leader signalled on Thursday during his 4-day State visit to Beijing that he intended to end the Philippines' 70-year alliance with the US in favour of China and Russia.
"I announce my separation from the United States," Duterte told a group of Chinese businessmen.
"America has lost. I've realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to (Vladimir) Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world: China, Philippines and Russia.”