Philippine leader Duterte says God told him to stop cursing

The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a tepid statement of approval for Duterte’s remarks in Tokyo. Duterte also told Obama to “go to hell”. “He’s also given the title to the US ambassador in Manila, whom Duterte also called “gay.’ And U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is also part of the ‘son of a bitch” club”. Duterte is on a three-day official visit to Ja.

Is Duterte blackmailing the US?

Teneo Intelligence’s Bob Herrera-Lim and Tobias Harris write that the visit, and economic investments by Japan, emphasize the Philippine’s desire to continue to turn away from the USA, but not necessarily American Allies in Asia. “But it’s all calibrated, it’s all about timing”, Duterte said. Carpio pointed out that Scarborough Shoal was defined as Philippine territory, and requested the government correct Duterte’s words “lest China claim, quoting him, that Scarborough Shoal is not Philippine territory”.

The Philippines subsequently took the territorial dispute to the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, which on July 12 ruled against China. Some analysts attribute his behaviour to his lack of foreign affairs experience; however others believe the exact opposite.

“The acquisition of our maritime and air capability assets is crucial in addressing traditional and emerging threats to our nations, including piracy, criminality at sea and terrorism, as well as in responding to disasters”, Duterte said.

Unlike his predecessors, Duterte doesn’t come from a wealthy or politically connected family, which resulted in his lack of support from the Philippines traditional power base. He won the May 2016 elections to become mayor of the city.

Kirby, who noted that Duterte’s rhetoric was “at odds” with the relationship between the two countries, also laughed off Duterte’s volatile attitude to that of his alter-egos and people speaking for him, which has been notably inconsistent.

It did not take long for Mr Duterte to break the promise.

“Because behind those words is the real tragedy and agony of the Filipino people”, he said.

Duterte revealed that his swearing problem is so great, none other than God has stepped into the breach.

Scarborough is a flashpoint in the South China Sea conflict.

Duterte’s approach to foreign policy is a source of widespread confusion in the U.S. and Japan.

Last month, President Duterte promised he would review the defense pact, and called for the withdrawal of US Special Forces from southern Philippines.

-Philippine relations, often catching his own aides and officials off guard and raising questions about the solidity of the alliances which the US has attempted to build in East Asia in recent years. “This is the drug industry in the Philippines”.

“He is a hard bargainer in trying to reposition the Philippines in the South China Sea”, says Zhu Feng, executive director of the Center for Collaborative Studies of the South China Sea at Nanjing University.

He has also caused geopolitical ructions, courting closer relations with China and separating the Philippines, a key U.S. ally in south-east Asia, from the American bloc.