On President Rodrigo Duterte’s “War On Drugs”: Its Impact on Philippine-China Relations

Abstract

This study looks into the “War on Drugs” of the Duterte Administration and how it impacts on the diplomatic relations between the Philippines and China. Although Philippine-China relations have been marred by the case filed by the former with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in relation to the territorial dispute of the two countries in the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea, this study contends that their relationship improved for the better as a consequence of Dutete’s “War on Drugs”. In carrying out his “War on Drugs”, Duterte came under barrage of criticisms from the West in which he became a pariah leader of sort. Consequently, he abandoned old friends and turned to China where he found a sympathetic ally.

Keywords

• war on drugs
• diplomatic relations
• President Duterte
• peripheral realism
• Scarborough Shoal