Implementing an independent foreign policy

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What does an independent foreign policy look like? Let's flesh that out here.

See also:

Weak nations playing great powers off each other

Rebooting US-PH communication

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Exports from June 2017 (psa.gov.ph)		$697.75M (14.2%)		$909.17M (18.5%)		negligible		$1,203.12M (24.5%)
Imports from June 2017 (psa.gov.ph)		$513.27M (7.3%)		$901.12M (12.8%)		negligible		$1,330M (18.8%)
Treaties / Agreements / Etc.		US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty		PH-JP sign military, economic deals Japan-PH re-affirm defense ties		RU-PH defense cooperation, not alliance		PCA Case No. 2013-19: PH vs. CN
UNCLOS ratification		n/a		20 Jun   1996		12 Mar   1997		7 Jun 1996
Marawi aid		$14.3 million (See here)						P1.1B (see here) P15M (see here)
Credit facilities		$85 million in counterterrorism-related equipment, training, and support to the armed forces of the Philippines $65 million to enhance the Philippines’ maritime security capabilities $2 million to support drug demand reduction programs in the Philippines (See here)		US$9B aid package See here				US$24B economic package See here
Equipment		PMS 326, International Fleet Support Program Office						China offers arms to PH

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TBA

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Cold hard numbers

From: https://psa.gov.ph/content/highlights-philippine-export-and-import-statistics-june-2017

7.  JAPAN ACCOUNTS FOR 18.5 PERCENT OF TOTAL EXPORTS IN JUNE 2017
Total export receipts from the country’s top ten market destinations for the month of June 2017 were valued at $4.13 billion or 84.2 percent share of the total (Table 6).

Japan, including Okinawa, ranked first, accounting for 18.5 percent of total exports, with export receipts valued at $909.17 million in June 2017. It recorded a decrease of 9.0 percent from $999.61 million in the same month of the previous year.

United States of America (USA), including Alaska and Hawaii, ranked second with revenue amounting to $697.75 million, comprising 14.2 percent share of the total exports for June 2017.  It decreased by 8.7 percent from $764.63 million recorded in June 2016.

Hong Kong ranked third with $667.50 million or 13.6 percent share of the total exports.  It grew by 12.6 percent from $592.67 million in the same month the previous year.

People’s Republic of China, with 10.9 percent share of total exports, ranked fourth with shipments valued at $535.62 million.  It went down by 2.4 percent from $548.53 million in the same month the previous year.

Singapore placed fifth, representing 6.1 percent share of total exports, with export earnings worth $299.52 million. It decreased by 7.1 percent from $322.56 million posted in June 2016.

Other top ten market destinations for   June 2017 were: Thailand, $214.32 million; Republic of Korea, $213.01 million; Germany, $206.80 million; Taiwan, $204.38 million; and Netherlands, $186.87 million.



8.  IMPORTS FROM PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ACCOUNT FOR 18.8 PERCENT
Total payments for the top ten imports for June 2017 amounted to $5.60 billion or 79.4 percent of the total.

People’s Republic of China remained the country’s biggest source of imports at 18.8 percent share in June 2017.  Payments were recorded at $1.33 billion, a decrease of 3.7 percent from $1.38 billion in June 2016.

Japan, including Okinawa came second, contributing 12.8 percent or $901.12 million to the total import bill in June 2017.  It grew by 0.5 percent from the June 2016 value of $896.88 million.   

Thailand placed third, accounting for 7.7 percent share of the total imports worth $545.24 million in   June   2017.   It went up by 0.1 percent from   $544.44  million in  June 2016.

Republic of Korea was the fourth biggest source of imports for June 2017 with 7.7 percent share of the total import bills amounting to $542.02 million, an increase of 16.0 percent from $467.36 million  in June 2016.

United States of America (USA), including Alaska and Hawaii ranked fifth, accounting for 7.3 percent share of the total import bills in June  2017.  It went down by 8.2 percent from $558.93 million in June 2016 to $513.27 million in June 2017.

Other   major sources of imports for the month of June 2017 were: Indonesia, $483.76 million; Singapore, $443.76 million; Taiwan, $339.77 million; Malaysia (includes Sabah and Sarawak), $282.74 million; and Hong Kong, $225.37 million.