Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s announcement on February 11 that Manila planned to terminate the U.S.-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in six months, per the VFA terms, was hailed by Beijing as evidence the U.S. was losing great power competition with China in the Indo-Pacific. A Chinese state-run media headline “Washington’s divisive intents get cold shoulder,” and another Duterte’s decision a “severe blow” to the U.S.-Philippines alliance. One of China’s military outlets further that Duterte’s announcement underscored a “deep bilateral feud” that, to Beijing’s hardline...…Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s announcement on February 11 that Manila planned to terminate the U.S.-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in six months, per the VFA terms, was hailed by Beijing as evidence the U.S. was losing great power competition with China in the Indo-Pacific. A Chinese state-run media headline “Washington’s divisive intents get cold shoulder,” and another Duterte’s decision a “severe blow” to the U.S.-Philippines alliance. One of China’s military outlets further that Duterte’s announcement underscored a “deep bilateral feud” that, to Beijing’s hardline...WW…