MANILA: Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte slammed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for leaning towards the US, while signaling openness to friendlier ties with China.
Duterte particularly criticised Marcos’ move to allow an American missile system on Philippine soil that has angered Beijing, saying Manila has nothing to do with tensions between the US and China.
"There is no reason for you to lean towards the US,” she said in a livestreamed speech on Sunday (June 22) before supporters in Melbourne, Australia.
The vice president also said the tensions between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea don’t make up the entirety of the relations between the two countries.
"You have to always stay in the middle because you are not part of the bigger conflict,” Duterte said. "You are friends with US, yes. You are friends with China, yes. And why not?”
Duterte’s statements mark her sharpest criticisms yet of Marcos’ US-friendly foreign policy stance, at a time when the administration’s allies are pushing for her ouster through impeachment proceedings. Her position also echoes that of her father, Rodrigo, who pivoted towards China during his 2016-2022 presidency.
Marcos’ office has yet to respond to the vice president’s remarks.
Under Marcos, the Philippines has bolstered longstanding defence ties with the US, expanding access to military bases and allowing the deployment of American weapons. His government has also been more assertive in pushing Manila’s claims in the South China Sea, often leading to skirmishes with Beijing in disputed waters. - Bloomberg
