MANILA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte stressed on Saturday that the Philippines will pursue an independent foreign policy "without any interference" from any country.
"In our relations with the world, the Philippines will pursue an independent foreign policy," Duterte told a news conference in his hometown Davao City in the southern Philippines.
He added, "We will observe, and must insist, I repeat, I must insist, on the time-honored principles of sovereign equality, non-interference and the commitment to a peaceful settlement of disputes to best serve our people and protect the interests of our country."
He said he thinks this was "the most telling words" that he uttered in the just concluded summit of leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ASEAN dialogue partners in Vientiane, Laos.
He said that it was not his intention to offend anybody in that meeting, adding he just wanted "to send message that we have every right to pursue an independent foreign policy without interference."
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