Author: Richard Javad Heydarian, Manila Over the past five years, bilateral relations between China and the Philippines, a United States treaty ally, have undergone a tremendous transformation. In the words of a top Chinese diplomat, what we have witnessed, especially under Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, is a ‘golden age’ in bilateral relations. But in his twilight months in office ahead of the May 2022 presidential elections, the Filipino president — who is constitutionally confined to a single six-year term in office — has adopted a dramatically divergent tone on China. During the recent China-ASEAN Summit, Duterte abhorred purported harassment of…
Source link : How will Duterte’s successor deal with China? by East Asia Forum
