Xi hopes for Duterte's continued contribution to China-Philippines cooperation
MANILA, Philippines — Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed hope that former President Rodrigo Duterte will continue to play a significant role in the cooperation between Beijing and Manila, Chinese media reported.
Duterte, who led a foreign policy pivot to China in exchange for investment pledges, met with Xi at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing Monday.
“President Xi said he appreciates the strategic choice Mr. Duterte made to improve relationxs with China during his presidency and his important contributions to friendly exchanges between the two countries,” said Hua Chunying, spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Hua stressed Beijing’s willingness to collaborate with Manila in fostering “steady and sustained growth of bilateral relations.”
According to Chinese state media Xinhua, Xi expressed hope that “Duterte will continue to play an important role in the friendly cooperation between the two countries.”
Duterte said that developing friendly relations between China and the Philippines “serves the interests of the two peoples and conforms to the aspiration of the majority of the Philippine people” as he vowed to continue promoting bilateral friendship between the two nations, Xinhua reported.
Duterte’s predecessor, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., is pivoting back to the United States.
A Pulse Asia survey released Monday found that 75% of Filipinos support closer military cooperation between Manila and Washington amid the country’s maritime row with China on the West Philippines Sea.
The ruling handed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2016 concluded that Beijing’s claim of historic rights in the South China Sea was baseless. China does not accept or recognize the decision.
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