Philippines' Duterte vows to stop picking fight with U.S.

MANILA - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to stop picking a fight with the United States, saying Donald Trump has been elected as president.

In a speech before the Filipino community in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, Duterte said, "I said I don't want to pick fight because Trump is there."

"I would like to congratulate President Trump. Long live! We have something in common. We are alike because we both curse easily," Duterte added.

Duterte is in Kuala Lumpur for an overnight official visit.

During the campaign early this year, Duterte has been likened to Trump and even earned the nickname "Trump of the East" for his style that many say is similar to Trump.

Both leaders are septuagenarians and managed to win the votes of millions even if they did not have occupied national positions.

Duterte, 71, was a former mayor of a southern Philippine city of Davao while Trump, 70, was a billionaire, real estate developer-turned reality television star with no government experience.

Political analyst Ramon Casiple said both leaders "think out of the box," adding that they could probably get along better than outgoing US President Barack Obama.

He predicted that Trump's victory could usher in a new beginning in the US-Philippines relations.

Duterte has hurled expletive-laced remarks against Obama and the United States for criticizing his campaign against drug users and pushers, which has reportedly left 4,000 suspects dead.