Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte heads to China and Japan this week for talks that will test whether his anti-US rhetoric will lead to a fundamental security shake-up on Asia’s seas.
The firebrand new leader has vowed to pull Manila away from its long alliance with Washington and tilt towards Beijing — a move that would have a huge impact on the regional duel over rights to seas and islands.
Mr Duterte, who took office in June, is due to fly to Beijing on Tuesday and then to Tokyo the following week. Earlier this month, the outspoken leader in Manila told President Barack Obama to “go to hell” and warned Washington that he might loosen a security relationship enshrined in a 1951 treaty, seeking arms from Beijing and Moscow instead.
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