Twice last week, President Duterte complained about China’s activities in the South China Sea--a stark departure from his pandering stand since the start of his presidency. Always, he was all praises for China’s President Xi Jinping, who will be coming here for a state visit in November, for the military equipment that he said was used in the war against Muslim extremists in Marawi and for the multi-billion infrastructure projects that it is undertaking in the country. He was unperturbed about China’s continued expansion in the disputed waters of South China Sea and the installation of military facilities in the seven artificial islands it occupies.

Tordesillas, E. (2018, August 23). Duterte knows China's ultimate goal is control of South China Sea. The Daily Guardian, p. 5.