Photo credit: Veronica Duterte

While details surrounding the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte are still emerging, one of the biggest questions now is: how is the international community reacting—particularly China?

China’s Response: Watching Closely

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning addressed the news in a recent briefing, calling it an important sudden incident. She emphasized that China is closely following the situation, though she did not comment on whether Beijing views this as a domestic issue or something with broader international implications.

Mao also reiterated China’s stance on the International Criminal Court (ICC), stating that it should strictly follow the principle of complementarity and avoid politicization or double standards. This is particularly interesting given that Duterte has long been scrutinized by the ICC for his controversial war on drugs.

What’s the Bigger Picture?

Duterte has maintained strong ties with China throughout his political career, often prioritizing diplomatic and economic cooperation over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. His arrest now raises questions about how this will affect China-Philippines relations moving forward.

Will Beijing see this as a setback? Could it influence their approach to ongoing regional tensions? For now, China seems to be treading carefully, watching how things unfold before making any bold statements.

As more details emerge, the world—especially China—will be paying close attention to what happens next.