Well before Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s state visit to China last week, where he announced his country’s “separation” from its treaty ally, the United States, the writing was already on the wall: Manila would distance itself from Washington and move closer to Beijing.

For weeks, he heaped praise on China and lashed out at the US, often using vulgar language. All this, he said, was part of his move to chart a more independent foreign policy not tied to America, the Philippines’ most important ally for 70 years.

Mr Duterte clarified upon his return from China that his separation remark did not mean cutting diplomatic ties with the US.

… Professor Tan See Seng, deputy director and head of research at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies’ Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies, added that recent Chinese criticisms of Singapore are based on the erroneous perception that Singapore is an ally of US that is bent on containing China’s rise.