Unrequited Love: Duterte’s China Embrace

For Ateneo de Manila University Press

Marites Dañguilan Vitug, Camille Elemi

Unrequited Love: Duterte’s China Embrace is the story of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s pivot to China—the factors that influenced him, the results of the policy shift on the West Philippine Sea, the rule of law, Chinese loans, grants, and pledges for infrastructure and other projects, attempts to influence the military, the political parties, Philippine media, and the public and how various institutions responded. Drawn on archival research and field interviews, the story begins with the roots of Duterte’s affection for China and leads to the maritime features that are the major sources of tension between Manila and Beijing and the pushback by key government institutions.

"A damning record of the former president's long-running relationship with China, Unrequited Love: Duterte’s China Embrace makes a case for Rodrigo Duterte's betrayal of the Filipino people." - Risa Hontiveros, Senator, Republic of the Philippines

"An eye-opening, thought-provoking, worthy addition to our sparse scholarly literature on an issue that impacts the course of our history. It takes you into the behind-the-scenes of the statecraft that forged this crucial foreign policy shift." - Ralph G. Recto, Secretary, Department of Finance

Marites Dañguilan Vitug is one of the Philippines' most accomplished journalists, winning awards and public recognition for her reportage on justice, politics, and security. She is currently editor-at-large at Rappler.

Camille Elemia is an award-winning multimedia journalist known for her investigative reporting on Philippine politics, China's influence, and media and disinformation issues. She is a reporter for The New York Times and Radio Free Asia.