MANILA (Reuters) - The United States remains the “closest friend” of the Philippines but Manila wants to break away from a “mindset of dependency and subservience” and forge closer ties with other nations, the Philippine foreign minister said on Saturday.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte interacts with reporters during a news conference upon his arrival from a four-day state visit in China at the Davao International Airport in Davao city, Philippines October 21, 2016. REUTERS/Lean Daval Jr.

The comments by Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay came two days after President Rodrigo Duterte announced his “separation” from Washington, though he went on to strike a more conciliatory tone on Friday.

Yasay said in a Facebook posting that Duterte had “unmistakably” stated that severing ties with Washington was not in the nation’s interest.

However, he wrote that separation “implies breaking away from the debilitating mindset of dependency and subservience - economically and militarily - that have perpetuated our ‘little brown brother’ image to America, which has stunted our growth and advancement.”

He said Duterte had told Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders during a visit to Beijing that “if they are not willing to lend their support... the Filipinos will chart their destiny alone, despite great odds.”

Yasay’s posting is the latest sign of an administration once again scrambling to put out fires after Duterte’s stunning declarations, which if delivered upon could upset the geopolitical balance in a region where China and the United States are vying aggressively for influence.

On Friday, Duterte’s economic managers were quick to clarify the Philippines was not cutting economies and trade ties with the United States.

Prior to Duterte taking office in late June, China was a bitter rival of the Philippines, and Manila was one of Washington’s most dependable Asian allies.

Duterte’s efforts to engage China, months after a tribunal in the Hague ruled that Beijing did not have historic rights to the South China Sea in a case brought by the previous administration in Manila, marks a reversal in foreign policy since the 71-year-old former mayor took office on June 30.

“It is not severance of ties. When you say severance of ties, you cut diplomatic relations. I cannot do that,” Duterte told reporters at a midnight news conference in his southern home city of Davao after he arrived from his four-day trip to Beijing.

Duterte’s abrupt pivot from Washington to Beijing is unlikely to be universally popular at home, however. On Tuesday, an opinion poll showed Filipinos still trust the United States far more than China.</s>The visit by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affair Daniel Russel is part of a three-nation swing through Southeast Asia that also includes Thailand and Cambodia, the U.S. State Department announced on its website.

Russel arrives as confusion lingers over Manila's ties with Washington, with President Rodrigo Duterte saying on Saturday the United States remains the Philippine's "closest friend", after earlier provoking alarm by announcing his country's "separation" from the United States and realignment with China.

The United States is one of the Philippine's largest trading partners and its closest security ally for about 70 years.

Russel was to meet with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay, U.S. embassy press attache Molly Koscina told Reuters, without giving details about issues to be discussed.

A Philippine foreign affairs official said Russel and Yasay will discuss the overall bilateral relations of the two allies following Duterte's "separation" statement in China last week.

"The U.S. wants a clarification from the Philippines and what direction the alliance will take," the official told Reuters.

"I think the U.S. is confused. It is getting mixed signals from Manila," the Philippine official said, requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Russel is expected to stay in Manila until Tuesday to meet with government officials and have lunch with Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) participants, before leaving for Thailand.

He will be in Thailand until Wednesday to convey his condolences on the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and meet with Thai officials to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues.

From Thailand, he will fly to Cambodia to meet with government and opposition party officials, civil society organizations, and address a group of YSEALI members.</s>U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel however warned that growing concern about drug-related killings in the Southeast Asian country was "bad for business".

Russel was the first high-level visitor from Washington after President Rodrigo Duterte provoked alarm last week by announcing his country's "separation" from the United States and realignment with China while on a visit to Beijing.

Explaining Duterte's "Goodbye America" remarks, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay said on Saturday the United States remained the "closest friend" of the Philippines, but Manila wanted to break away from a "mindset of dependency and subservience" and forge closer ties with other nations.

Russel, speaking to reporters after meeting Yasay, said Duterte "has already walked back".

He said Washington supported direct dialogue and negotiations between the Philippines and China. "So, it's a mistake to think that improved relations between Manila and Beijing somehow come at the expense of the U.S.," he said.

"We don’t want countries to have to choose between the U.S. and China."

During his meeting with the Philippine foreign minister, Russel however said he expressed his concern the "succession of controversial statements, comments and a real climate of uncertainty about the Philippines’ intentions has created consternation in a number of countries".

He added, "This is not a positive trend."

Duterte has been scathing about U.S. criticism of his anti-drugs campaign in which about 2,300 people have been killed since he took office on June 30.

Russel said the United States supported Manila's anti-narcotics campaign, but due process and human rights should not be disregarded.

"The growing uncertainty about this and other issues is bad for business," he said. "This is a very competitive region."

Russel's trip to Manila is part of a three-nation swing through Southeast Asia that also includes Thailand and Cambodia, the U.S. State Department announced on its website.</s>MANILA, Philippines — America's top diplomat for Asia said Monday that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's controversial remarks and a "real climate of uncertainty" about his government's intentions have sparked distress in the U.S. and other countries.

Daniel Russel, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said he also relayed to Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. international concern over continuing killings under Duterte's crackdown against illegal drugs.

Russel's visit to the Philippines, part of a three-nation trip to Southeast Asia, comes amid increasing uncertainty about Washington's treaty alliance with Manila. The brash Duterte, who took office on June 30, has displayed antagonism toward America, declaring his desire to scale back military engagements with the U.S. and telling President Barack Obama "to go to hell."

Duterte's administration, however, has not formalized his public declarations to remove U.S. counterterrorism forces from the volatile southern Philippines and stop large-scale joint exercises involving American forces, creating confusion among even his Cabinet officials.

In a major walk-around, Duterte sparked diplomatic alarm when he announced during a state visit to Beijing last week his "separation" with the United States. Upon returning home the day after his stunning remarks, Duterte said he did not mean he was severing diplomatic ties with Washington but only wanted to end a foreign policy that's overly oriented toward the U.S.

"I've pointed out to Secretary Yasay that the succession of controversial statements, comments and a real climate of uncertainty about the Philippines' intentions has created consternation in a number of countries, not only in mine," Russel told reporters Monday in Manila after a meeting with Yasay that went overtime.

The unease, Russel said, was also palpable "not only among governments, but also ... in other communities, in the expat Filipino community, in corporation board rooms as well."

"This is not a positive trend," he said, adding that the U.S. remains committed to continuing a solid alliance with and providing assistance to the Philippines, including in fighting the drug menace.

Russel said that while Washington welcomes the relaxation of tensions between Manila and Beijing under Duterte, the rapprochement should not come at the expense of the U.S. or other nations.

"It's a mistake to think that improved relations between Manila and Beijing somehow come at the expense of the United States," he said. "This should be addition and not subtraction."
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay states that the United States remains our "closest friend," but that the Philippines wants to break away and forge closer ties with other nations.