TFIGlobal
TFIGlobal
TFIPOST English
TFIPOST हिन्दी
No Result
View All Result
  • Indo-Pacific
  • Americas
  • Canada
  • Indian Subcontinent
  • West Asia
  • Europe
  • Africa
  • The Caribbean
TFIGlobal
  • Indo-Pacific
  • Americas
  • Canada
  • Indian Subcontinent
  • West Asia
  • Europe
  • Africa
  • The Caribbean
No Result
View All Result
TFIGlobal
TFIGlobal
No Result
View All Result
  • Indo-Pacific
  • Americas
  • Canada
  • Indian Subcontinent
  • West Asia
  • Europe
  • Africa
  • The Caribbean

Duterte needs to follow ‘The Widodo Doctrine’ if he wants to save Philippines from China

Abhyoday Sisodia by Abhyoday Sisodia
April 11, 2021
in Indo-Pacific
Rodrigo Duterte, Philippines, Joko Widodo, China, Indonesia
Share on FacebookShare on X

The President of the Philippines has followed the most un-realistic foreign policy right from the get-go. He had put too much faith in the Chinese Communist Party and instead of balancing China with its long-standing ally the USA, he took the Philippines entirely into the lap of China. On the other hand, Joko Widodo, the leader of Indonesia, another major ASEAN country, has played it smart and by managing its interests with China and the USA, he has been able to reap the most out of the competition among the two powers.

Recently, around two hundred PRC “fishing boats”, many of considerable size, have entered waters decreed by an UN-designated agency as Manila’s, and despite love calls from Duterte to his counterpart in Beijing, refused to leave these waters. Now with all the policy decisions vis a vis China failing, Duterte and the Philippines need a course correction.

Also Read

 PM Modi to Visit China for SCO, First since 2020 Border clash: Trump Pushes India into Russia-China Arms? Can Putin succeed in reviving RIC to counter NATO? 

Trump says, ‘We’re Getting Along with China very well’ – Nikki Haley responds, “Don’t give China a free pass while burning ties with a strong ally like India” 

While EU Sanctions BRICS Nations, Russian Pipeline Gas Exports to Europe Surge 37% in July

Duterte waited for the bonanza from China that he expected to come as a result of his decision to give marching orders to US forces stationed in the Philippines. He’s still on the lookout and all he has received is the PRC encroaching on the former US ally’s territorial waters. While the Philippines has only recently started protesting against Chinese bullying, and for the longest time ignored the Chinese escalations to appease Xi Jinping, Indonesia followed an entirely different approach. Indonesia, under Joko Widodo, has followed a mature foreign policy and as the saying goes, powerful respect powerful. And Duterte must take notes from Indonesia’s leader Widodo’s China policy if he wants to save the Philippines.

Rodrigo Duterte, Philippines, Joko Widodo, China, Indonesia
[PC:OrissaPOST]
By now Rodrigo Duterte, the President of the Philippines must have realised his folly of blindly trusting the very country that is encroaching over the territories of his country and in case he is looking for course correction, he should look no further than Indonesia. Although Joko Widodo relied on a dynamic balancing strategy among major powers to give him space to manoeuvre, Duterte attempted to end the Philippines’ century-long alliance with the United States as part of his pivot to China.

Joko Widodo has visited both Washington and Beijing, as well as managed to cultivate robust security cooperation with each superpower, strengthening Indonesia’s strategic leverage accordingly. When China stepped up its intrusion into Indonesian waters off the Natuna Islands in late 2019, the Indonesian president not only deployed fighter jets and the navy but personally visited the area to remind China that there would “no compromise” over maritime and territorial issues.

Read More: China opens a new front in the South China Sea, this time with Indonesia. And Jakarta is hitting back hard

Indonesia has acted like any mature and confident nation should. He played diplomacy with the CCP when it was required and opposed CCP’s expansionist designs when China overextended its hand. The recent activities further prove that Indonesia stands emboldened and will not be intimidated by China.

In terms of foreign investment, Indonesia has successfully courted rival countries such as Japan as well as China. This deliberate diversification policy explains in part why Jakarta was able to negotiate incredibly favourable terms for the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway scheme, arguably the strongest under China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

As China failed to follow through on multibillion-dollar commitments, Widodo did not hesitate to use Japan to pique Beijing’s interest. By 2019, Japan and China had surpassed the United States as Indonesia’s top foreign investors, with scores of high-profile development ventures in the works, as Jokowi (Joko Widodo) successfully pitted the two global titans against one another and at times shown China its stature as a paper dragon.

Read more: How Indonesia decided to stop fearing China and give it back to the paper dragon

A little while ago, Indonesia’s civilian maritime force, Bakamla, has accused the Chinese naval ships of entering its 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around the Natuna Islands and has clashed several times with Chinese coastguard vessels escorting Chinese fishing boats in the area.

Now the Philippines need to make some harsh decisions and swallow the bitter pill regarding the fact that they have failed big time. Learning a thing or two from their Indonesian colleagues, and use the balancing tactics and approach the Chinese Communist Party from a position of strength.

Tags: ChinaExhaustive ReadsIndonesiaJoko WidodoPhilippinesRodrigo Duterte
ShareTweetSend
Abhyoday Sisodia

Abhyoday Sisodia

M.A. in East Asian Studies, Department of East Asian Studies, the University of Delhi, India. Deep interest in geopolitics, foreign policy and world affairs.

Also Read

China’s Next Five-Year Plan and What It Means for the Changing World Order?

China’s Next Five-Year Plan and What It Means for the Changing World Order?

July 31, 2025
Thailand and Cambodia Agree to Unconditional Ceasefire After Deadly Border Clashes

NOT TRUMP! Thailand and Cambodia Agree to Unconditional Ceasefire Hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister After Deadly Border Clashes 

July 28, 2025
‘India Out’ to ‘India In’: The Story of a Strategic Turnaround (Photo credit: cscr.pk)

India 1 – China 0: The Strategic Score in Indian Ocean on “Maldives”

July 26, 2025
Thailand-Cambodia Border Conflict Becomes Proxy Arena in U.S.-China Power Struggle

Thailand vs Cambodia Conflict: A Proxy Arena for U.S.-China Rivalry in Indo-Pacific 

July 24, 2025
Wells Fargo Banker’s Exit Ban Becomes a New Flashpoint in U.S.-China Tensions

Corporate Hostage Diplomacy? Wells Fargo Banker’s Exit Ban Becomes a New Flashpoint in U.S.-China Tensions

July 22, 2025
Bangladesh Air Force F-7 BGI Crash at Milestone College raises questions on Chinese Jet Performance

Made in China, crashed in Dhaka: Bangladesh Air Force F-7 BGI Crash Renewed Concerns Over Chinese Fighter Jets

July 21, 2025
Youtube Twitter Facebook
TFIGlobalTFIGlobal
Right Arm. Round the World. FAST.
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • TFIPOST – English
  • TFIPOST हिन्दी
  • Careers
  • Brand Partnerships
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy Policy

©2025 - TFI MEDIA PRIVATE LIMITED

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Indo-Pacific
  • Americas
  • Canada
  • Indian Subcontinent
  • West Asia
  • Europe
  • Africa
  • The Caribbean
TFIPOST English
TFIPOST हिन्दी

©2025 - TFI MEDIA PRIVATE LIMITED

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. View our Privacy and Cookie Policy.