Edward Mico Joseph Agustin

WASHINGTON DC — US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he “does not mind if the Philippines gets along with China,” claiming that even Washington has a “very good relationship” with Beijing.

Article (news)

Trump says he ‘does not mind if PH gets along with China’

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<p>WASHINGTON DC — US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he “does not mind if the Philippines gets along with China,” claiming that even Washington has a “very good relationship” with Beijing. </p><p>Trump gave the statement after reporters asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. how Manila intends to balance its relationship between its traditional ally Washington and neighboring economic giant Beijing.</p><p>“I don&#x27;t mind if he gets along with China because we&#x27;re getting along with China very well. We have a very good relationship,” Trump said.</p><p>“In fact, the magnets, which is a little complex piece of material, but the magnets are coming out very well. They&#x27;re (China) sending them in record numbers. We&#x27;re getting along with China very well, and I don&#x27;t mind if the President dealt with China,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PARTNERS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The Philippines “does not need to balance” its relationship with the US and China as the Southeast Asian country has an independent foreign policy, Marcos Jr. said.</p><p>“We are essentially concerned with the defense of our territory and the exercise of our sovereign rights,” the Filipino leader said.</p><p>“Now, whether we do this not alone, we need to do this with our partners. And again, our strongest partner has always been the United States,” he said.</p><p>“But of course, we are trying to form coalitions and multilateral relations so that we – those like-minded nations who share the same values as we do, who hew to international law, most specifically the UNCLOS, present that position very clearly to anyone who has intentions of unilaterally changing the world order, and that is how we are guided,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;MAKE PH GREAT AGAIN&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Trump said he has “great respect” for Marcos Jr., and that the Filipino President’s dealings with Beijing “would not bother [him] at all.”</p><p>“I think he has to do what&#x27;s right for his country. I&#x27;ve always said, you know, make the Philippines great again,” the American chief executive said.</p><p>“Do whatever you need to do, but your dealing with China wouldn&#x27;t bother me at all.”</p><p>But in the same interview inside the Oval Office, Trump also cautioned the Philippines against pivoting anew to Beijing.</p><p>“You (Filipinos) did have a country that was tilting towards China for a period of time... I don’t think that would be good for you [but] you can deal with China, you should deal with China,” he said.</p><p>Meantime, Trump said that he is “going to have a very good relationship” with Marcos Jr., noting he has “known him and his family.”</p><p>“I know you have some problems with another president. I know it’s not your fault. It’s the [other] president’s fault,” the American leader said.</p><p>Trump did not name any other president, but the Philippines distanced itself from the United States during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who forged closer ties with Beijing after Washington criticized his administrations drug war.</p>

<p>“I think he has to do what's right for his country. I've always said, you know, make the Philippines great again,” US President Donald Trump said.</p>

“I think he has to do what's right for his country. I've always said, you know, make the Philippines great again,” US President Donald Trump said.