18-7-2023 (BEIJING) Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed his desire for former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to maintain a significant role in the cooperative efforts between China and the Philippines, according to Chinese media reports.
Duterte, who pursued a foreign policy pivot towards China in exchange for investment commitments, met with President Xi at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Monday.
Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated, “President Xi said he appreciates the strategic choice Mr. Duterte made to improve relations with China during his presidency and his important contributions to friendly exchanges between the two countries.” Hua emphasized Beijing’s readiness to collaborate with Manila to foster the “steady and sustained growth of bilateral relations.”
In a report by Chinese state media Xinhua, President Xi expressed his hope that “Duterte will continue to play an important role in the friendly cooperation between the two countries.”
Duterte, for his part, affirmed that developing friendly relations between China and the Philippines “serves then interests of the two peoples and aligns with the aspirations of the majority of the Philippine people.” He pledged to continue promoting bilateral friendship between the two nations, as reported by Xinhua.
Meanwhile, Duterte’s predecessor, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., is shifting focus back towards the United States. A recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia revealed that 75% of Filipinos support closer military cooperation between Manila and Washington, particularly in light of the maritime dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague issued a ruling stating that Beijing’s claim of historic rights in the South China Sea had no legal basis. However, China has refused to accept or recognize the decision.
Chinese (Simplified)
Filipino
Indonesian
Malay
Thai