Factbox: Duterte distances Philippines from ally U.S.

(Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has grown increasingly hostile towards his country's traditional ally the United States since taking office on June 30, while seeking to court U.S. rivals China and Russia. Government officials in Manila have tried to play down the president's comments, saying the two countries will continue to cooperate. Officials in Washington have been largely taken by surprise by Duterte's near-daily barrages, and have sought to avoid provoking him. The following are key comments that Duterte has made about the bilateral relationship, and U.S. responses: PIVOT TO CHINA - On a state visit to China this week, Duterte told a forum of Chinese and Philippine business people he wanted his country to separate from the United States and realign with China. "I announce my separation from the United States. Both in military, not maybe social, but economics also," he said. "America has lost." U.S. response: The U.S. State Department said it was "baffled" by Duterte's comments and would seek an explanation when Daniel Russel, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, visits Manila this weekend. - Duterte said in September he would visit Russia and China this year to chart an independent foreign policy and "open alliances" with two powers with historic rivalries with the United States. U.S. response: State Department officials said the bilateral relationship remained strong. "They're a sovereign nation and we're certainly not going to hold them back from pursuing closer relations with either of those countries... It's not a zero-sum game," spokesman Mark Toner said. MILITARY ALLIANCE The Philippines has had a long-standing military alliance with the United States. The Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, reached under Duterte's predecessor, allows the United States to rotate ships, aircraft, and personnel through five Philippines bases, an arrangement seen as crucial to projecting U.S. military power on China's doorstep. Duterte has said he will order the pullout of the remaining U.S. special forces stationed in the Philippines' restive south. Philippine officials have said joint U.S.-Philippines military exercises would cease and that the tropical nation can do without U.S military assistance. U.S. response: State Department officials say they have not received any formal request for a tangible change in the security relationship. "It is all bluster," said one U.S. defence official, adding Duterte's remarks "have not bled over into our world". WAR ON DRUGS - The U.S. has raised concerns over possible human rights violations in a war on drugs that Duterte is waging at home, drawing vitriolic rebukes from the former mayor. He has called U.S. President Barack Obama, the European Union and United Nations "fools", and warned they would end up humiliated and outsmarted if they accepted his invitation to investigate his anti-drugs campaign. He has also hurled insults at Obama, telling him to "go to hell" and calling him a "son of bitch". U.S. response: State Department officials have said the rhetoric is at odds with reality. Spokesman John Kirby said, "Frankly, it seems at odds with the warm relationship that exists between the Filipino and American people and the record of important cooperation between our two governments, cooperation that has continued under the Duterte government." - In September Duterte appeared to liken himself to Adolf Hitler in talking about killing millions of drug addicts in the country of 100 million. Noting that Hitler had murdered millions of Jews, Duterte said, "There are 3 million drug addicts (in the Philippines). I'd be happy to slaughter them. "If Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have ...," he said, pausing and pointing to himself. U.S. response: Defense Secretary Ash Carter told a news conference following a meeting Southeast Asian defence chiefs in Hawaii that he personally found Duterte's comments "deeply troubling", though the matter wasn't discussed at the meeting. (Compiled by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Alex Richardson)