Exclusive | Philippines not married to US, can still pursue China, says Manila’s top diplomat

The Philippines’ new foreign secretary, Alan Peter Cayetano, warned that “outside influences” could turn Southeast Asia into “a theatre of geopolitical rivalry” and that Manila’s relations with the US should not stop it from forging ties with China.

The 46-year-old made the comment in an interview with the South China Morning Post. He is a staunch ally of Duterte and was his vice-presidential running mate. A seasoned politician, Cayetano was reportedly involved in early negotiations with China on a series of multibillion-dollar deals shortly after Duterte was elected last year, according to Philippine media.

Midway through a year in which the Philippines has assumed the rotating chairmanship of Asean, Cayetano said a top challenge for Manila was keeping away external influences in the region.

“Another challenge will be influences from outside the region … making Asean a theatre for what we call geopolitical rivalry,” he said. Cayetano did not specify what he meant by outside influences, or whether he was referring to the ongoing competition between China and the US for influence among Asean countries.

Relations between Beijing and Manila have improved significantly since Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte took office last year and promised to put aside territorial disputes in exchange for trade and economic assistance from China.

But Duterte has faced criticism both at home and internationally for being too soft on China over the disputes and has been seen as not having taken full advantage of the landmark tribunal award the Philippines won against China last year.