largest trading partner. Philippines Under President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines has cultivated closer ties to China and has tried to compartmentalize the South China Sea territorial issues from the broader relationship. In a speech in July 2019, President Duterte claimed that the United States has been trying to use the Philippines as "bait" to ignite regional conflict and confrontation with China regarding incidents in the South China Sea, "egging" him to take military action against China and pledging US support through the mutual defense obligations. To this idea he sarcastically said, "if America wants China to leave, and I can't make them... I want the whole 7th Fleet of the armed forces of the United States of America there... when they enter the South China Sea, I will enter." He added, "what do you think Filipinos are, earthworms?... now, I say, you bring your planes, your boats to South China Sea. Fire the first shot, and we are just here behind you. Go ahead, let's fight." See also American geostrategy related America's Pivot to Asia Strategy AirSea Battle Blue Team (U.S. politics) Geostrategy in Central Asia Island chain strategy Second Cold War Chinese geostrategy related Belt and Road Initiative Chinese century China's peaceful rise List of disputed territories of China String of Pearls (Indian Ocean) Bilateral and multilateral relations Quadrilateral Security Dialogue Post–Cold War era Malabar (naval exercise) Australia–United States relations China–United States relations India–United States relations Japan–United States relations Philippines–United States relations References Further reading Buzan, Barry and Evelyn Goh, eds. Rethinking Sino-Japanese Alienation: History Problems and Historical Opportunities (2020) Goh, Evelyn, and Rosemary Foot. From containment to containment? Understanding US relations with China since 1949 (Blackwell, 2003). Goh, Evelyn, and Sheldon W. Simon, eds. China, the United States, and South-East Asia: Contending Perspectives on Politics, Security, and Economics (2007) Green, Michael J. By more than providence: Grand strategy and American power in the Asia Pacific since 1783 (Columbia UP, 2017). Sahashi, Ryo. "Japan’s strategy amid US–China confrontation." China International Strategy Review 2.2 (2020): 232–245. China–United States relations United States foreign policy