RE: This makes no sense unless Duterte thinks he’s better off as a Chinese puppet.
Duterte has never forgiven the USA and her western allies for criticizing his overly aggressive killings of drug dealers on the streets of the Philippines WITHOUT TRIAL. Just plain execution style. It has been said that close to 10,000 killings have occurred.
China and Russia on the other hand, simply let him have his way.
Dutae is still sore over two things.
#1 the US treatment of Muslims in the Philippines-American War, over a century ago, and
#2 Dutae getting denied a US Visit Visa a few decades ago
All the other stuff is just gravy. And there is a lot of other stuff that Winnie Xi Pooh’s favorite slave is upset over