In this May 31, 2019 photo, Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines' president, speaks at the Future of Asia conference in Tokyo, Japan. (PHOTO / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

MANILA - The Philippines will not halt infrastructure projects involving Chinese firms blacklisted by ally the United States and will make its own decisions, not those of a foreign power, the president’s spokesman said on Tuesday.

President Rodrigo Duterte will not follow Washington’s move to sanction Chinese firms involved in construction in the South China Sea because infrastructure was a national priority, his spokesman Harry Roque said

President Rodrigo Duterte will not follow Washington’s move to sanction Chinese firms involved in construction in the South China Sea because infrastructure was a national priority, his spokesman Harry Roque said.

“We are not a vassal state of any foreign power and we will pursue our national interest,” Roque told a regular news conference.

“Our national interest is to ensure flagship projects are completed.”

Duterte has a race against time to make headway in his US$180 billion infrastructure overhaul, which is fraught with complications.

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The United States, a defense treaty ally of the Philippines, has blacklisted 24 Chinese companies and targeted individuals over construction in the South China Sea.

The Philippine foreign minister had recommended that his government terminates deals with those entities.

Among firms involved are China Communications Construction Co, which is has teamed up with a Philippine partner for a US$10 billion airport project, and its subsidiary, China Harbour Engineering Company, which is partnering on a US$1.2 billion reclamation project with the firm of tycoon Dennis Uy, Duterte’s associate and biggest election campaign donor.

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China Harbour will partner also with the Philippines’ richest family on separate US$1.86 billion reclamation venture.

Those firms have not responded to Reuters requests for comment on the blacklisting.