October 1, 2016

"Rodrigo Duterte wants a 'soft landing' on the South China Sea dispute, as practical cooperation on other fronts with China would result in more mutually beneficial fruits, his communications chief said on Saturday, while confirming the Philippine president will visit China within this month.

Philippine Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar noted that Manila, under Duterte administration's independent foreign policy, has departed from his predecessor's reliance on the United States.

But analysts pointed out that the Philippines is trying to achieve better balance between the world's major power with great finesse, though Andanar denied Manila is resorting to so-called balancing act, as some other regional countries do, to maximize its own interests."

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http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2016-10/01/content_26958494.htm 

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