China’s Xi confirms APEC attendance

MANILA, Philippines - It’s confirmed: Chinese President Xi Jinping is attending the 23rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit in Manila on Nov. 17 to 19.

APEC-national organizing council director general Marciano Paynor Jr. said yesterday that while there is no formal bilateral meeting set, the two leaders might have a chance to talk “on the side.”

“The Chinese embassy in Manila has confirmed that the Chinese Foreign Ministry has officially announced this morning that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Manila,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said.

“Previously, Usec. Valte said only China has not confirmed. Now that China has confirmed that President Xi Jinping is coming, then everyone is coming,” Jose said, referring to deputy Palace spokesperson Abigail Valte.

Aquino has 11 formal bilateral meetings being arranged with other leaders on the side of the summit.

Side meetings are common among leaders during summits.

During the APEC summit in Beijing in November last year, Aquino and Xi had a tete-a-tete during a tree-planting activity. Such episode was considered an icebreaker or a breakthrough in thawing of relations since it was the first time they talked since the tension over the West Philippine Sea intensified.

During that 10-minute meeting last year,  Xi and Aquino discussed the sea row but the Philippine president said he was not inclined to raise the dispute as host of the summit because the issues would be mostly economic.

Last year, the Chinese leader expressed hope his Philippine counterpart would deal with the dispute “in a constructive way” even as Manila has resorted to arbitration to clarify its maritime entitlements. The Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague has ruled it has jurisdiction over the case filed by the Philippines and would conduct hearings on the merits despite opposition from Beijing.

In a press briefing, Paynor also said all leaders of the 21 APEC member-economies would be coming, including the head of state of Colombia.

“They are all coming as far as we know, unless they write to us officially that they are not,” Paynor said.