China on mind, Duterte could turn down Donald

Davao: Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday he might turn down an invitation by Donald Trump to visit the United States.

Mr Duterte, who has loosened the Philippines’ long alliance with the United States while strengthening ties with China and Russia, said he could not commit to the American President because of a busy schedule that included a trip to Moscow.

“I am tied up. I cannot make any definite promise. I am supposed to go to Russia, I am supposed to go to Israel,” he told reporters when asked about Mr Trump’s invitation made in a telephone call on Saturday.

Mr Duterte expressed concerns about not being able to fit in a visit to Mr Trump even though no firm date has yet been proposed for it.

Nevertheless, Mr Duterte said relations with the United States were improving now that Trump had taken over from Barack Obama who criticised his anti-drug war that has claimed thousands of lives.

Mr Duterte said that his efforts to loosen the alliance were only a response to the drug war criticism. “It was not a distancing (of relations) but it was rather a rift between me and the (US) state department and Mr Obama, who spoke openly against me,” he said.