China’s ‘Lackey’ Duterte is smarting as Beijing tightens screws
Philippines President Roberto Duterte has been ridiculed as a ‘Chinese lackey’ and worse time and again for doing a complete U-turn on his predecessor’s policies regarding Beijing and its expansionist strategies to overtake resource-filled Islands.Under former president Benigno Simeon Aquino III, Philippines had taken China to an international tribunal regarding disputes over Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands.Both these islands are said to have untapped oil and natural gas resources and are of great strategic value to the Philippines and the United States. Fears of a Chinese naval and weapons build-up here and on artificial islands being created in the neighboring areas, are of great concern to the Philippines.And even then, Duterte who is otherwise known as the strongman for his o...