Forging closer economic and security relations with China will be high on the agenda when President Duterte holds bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week.
The President’s highly anticipated meeting with Xi will take place on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation from April 25 to 27.
Duterte, tentatively scheduled to depart for Beijing tomorrow, will be among the 40 world leaders invited to the infrastructure forum by the Chinese leader.
“With President Xi Jinping, they are expected of course to chart the course of further development of bilateral relations in various areas like defense, security, economics, and development as well as regional and international issues of mutual importance,” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Meynardo Montealegre said.
“As far as the South China Sea, the Spratly that you have mentioned, the President has always been saying that we will stick to Philippine interest and positions but as I said I cannot preempt to what the specific discussion,” he added.
Apart from Xi, the President is expected to hold separate talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during his trip to Beijing.
“With Premier Li Keqiang, they are expected to discuss a more detailed cooperation in various areas, including infrastructure, trade and investment, people-to-people relations, as well as regional cooperation,” Montealegre said.
The President’ meetings with the Chinese leaders will take place on the heels of the Philippine government’s protest of the reported presence of more than 200 Chinese vessels near Pag-asa Island.
Other issues confronting the two nations are the alleged harassment of Filipino fishermen in Panatag Shoal as well as the poaching of giant clams by Chinese vessels in the area. The Palace earlier said the West Philippine Sea issue might be raised during the President’s meeting with Xi.
The President recently asked China to lay off Pag-asa island and meet the country “halfway” to settle the maritime row. Amid improving ties between the two nations, Duterte repeatedly said he prefers to hold dialogue over use of force in resolving the territorial conflict with China.
At the second Belt and Road summit, the President is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the international summit, the high-level meeting, as well the leaders’ roundtable sessions. Montealegre said the President will be one of the key speakers at the Leaders’ Roundtable set on April 27.
Among the world leaders attending the Beijing summit are Russian President Vladimir Putin, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and Indonesia President Joko Widodo. (Genalyn Kabiling)
