Philippines prefers Chinese cash rather than US ‘strategic confusion’ in South China Sea, says foreign minister

The US is projecting “strategic confusion” in the South China Sea, the Philippines’ top diplomat said, prompting the country to deepen its ties with China.

President Rodrigo Duterte prefers China’s offer of loans and investments in the absence of a clearer stance from the US, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said.

“China’s offer of a strategic partnership is a bit more attractive than the current offer of the US of strategic confusion,” Locsin said in an interview on May 16 in his Manila office.

Locsin recalled how former President Barack Obama, on a visit to Manila in 2014, didn’t give a clear assurance that the US would defend the Philippines against China in case of a conflict in the South China Sea. Since then, President Donald Trump’s administration has been at pains to stress “we have your back.”

Still, the Philippines continues to be a US military ally and will come to its side if conflict erupts, Locsin said, adding he wants to retain an almost seven-decade-old defence treaty with the US.

“It has always been clear, that in a war, we are allies of the United States. There’s no question about that.”