Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced the cancellation of regular joint military exercise with American troops while addressing the Filipinos in Hanoi, Vietnam on Wednesday.
During his 2-day visit to Vietnam, Duterte said he wanted to establish new trade and commercial alliances with China and Russia who are political rivals of US.
"Beijing doesn't want the war games," he said, endangering the 65-year-old mutual defense treaty of the U.S. and the Philippines.
Duterte said the military drill between the US and the Philippines on Oct. 4 to 12 in Luzon and Palawan regions, with the participation of around 2,000 soldiers, will be the last.
Meanwhile, U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby on Wednesday said they have not received any official communication from the Philippine government on the matter.
Some 1,400 US troops based in Okinawa, Japan and 500 Filipino counterparts plan to participate in the Philippines Amphibious Landing Exercise in Palawan, the westernmost province nearest to disputed islands in the South China Sea.
The two military entities of the two nations have routinely held bilateral exercises, known as Balikatan, aimed at improving cooperation.
Earlier this month, a defiant Duterte cursed President Barack Obama and said he would prevent Philippine forces from joining sea patrols along the disputed waters near South China Sea.
The decision to end the joint military exercise would apparently scrap the deals entered into by Duterte's predecessors with the US government.
Duterte said he is considering procuring military equipment from Russia and China.
Bilateral relations between U.S and Philippine deteriorated since Duterte assumed presidency in June.
However, Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Perfecto Yasay Jr. contradicted Duterte, saying joint military drills approved by the previous administration will continue till 2018.
