China comments on Duterte’s arrest, urges ICC to avoid bias

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning commented on Wednesday, March 12, that the arrest of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is an 'important sudden incident' and noted China's close attention to how events might develop.

Mao emphasized China’s consistent view that the International Criminal Court (ICC) should adhere to legal principles without bias, stressing the need for the court to follow the principle of complementarity and prevent politicization or double standards.

Duterte was arrested on Tuesday by Philippine authorities in response to an Interpol warrant issued by the ICC for crimes against humanity related to his war on drugs, which resulted in at least 6,000 deaths during his presidency from 2016 to 2022.

China's relationship with the Philippines was close under Duterte but has since deteriorated as Marcos Jr., Duterte's successor, shifted foreign policy back toward the US and Western allies.

Duterte pulled the Philippines out of the ICC in March 2018, a move that took effect a year later, citing the country's judicial processes as sufficient despite few convictions related to drug war cases.