The most senior United States diplomat for Asia has arrived in the Philippines and will meet the country’s foreign minister amid confusion over the status of ties between the two long-time allies, said the US embassy in Manila.

The US State Department announced on its website that, the visit by US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affair Daniel Russel is part of a three-nation swing through Southeast Asia that also includes Thailand and Cambodia.

However, he also warned that growing concern about drug-related killings in the Southeast Asian country was "bad for business".

In the last week, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte declared his country's "separation" from the United States and realignment with China.

Explaining Duterte's "Goodbye America" remarks, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay said, the United States remained the "closest friend" of the Philippines, but Manila wanted to break away from a "mindset of dependency and subservience" and forge closer ties with other nations.

Russel, speaking to reporters after meeting Yasay, said Duterte "has already walked back".

"So, it's a mistake to think that improved relations between Manila and Beijing somehow come at the expense of the U.S.," he said.

"We don’t want countries to have to choose between the U.S. and China."

Russel hold a meeting with the Philippine foreign minister and expressed his concern the "succession of controversial statements, comments and a real climate of uncertainty about the Philippines’ intentions has created consternation in a number of countries".

"This is not a positive trend," he added.

"The growing uncertainty about this and other issues is bad for business," he said. "This is a very competitive region."

Also Read: Duterte declares Philippines’ ‘separation from the U.S.’

Nandini