Wu Hong/Reuters
Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte declared Wednesday that he intends to end the Philippines’ military and economic ties to the United States. While speaking at the Philippines-China Trade and Investment Forum, the firebrand leader indicated a preference for dealing with Chinese officials and businesses, declaring, “I announce my separation from the United States both in the military but economics also... I have separated from them so I will be dependent on you for a long time. But don’t worry, we will also help.” Duterte also suggested he’d like Russia to join in this new Eastern Hemisphere alliance: “I realign myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin,” he said. “There are three of us against the world. China, Philippines, Russia.”