Did Duterte’s detente with Beijing sink with a Philippine fishing boat in the South China Sea?

The sinking of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese vessel has dealt a heavy blow to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s shift towards Beijing and highlighted the risks to the region from China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, according to analysts.Duterte has been criticised in the Philippines for his response to what he called a “little maritime incident” on June 9, when a Chinese vessel collided with the Filipino boat near Reed Bank in the disputed South China Sea.The 22…