Minister welcomes visit by Philippines president
Print Edition
PHILIPPINES President Rodrigo Duterte arrived in Beijing last night to begin a four-day visit to China.
Duterte makes the visit, his first to a country outside the ASEAN nations since taking office in June, amid a backdrop of deteriorating ties with China, due to the unilateral filing of a South China Sea arbitration case initiated by his predecessor Benigno Aquino III.
Duterte is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, and top legislator Zhang Dejiang, according to China’s foreign ministry.
“This is a historic visit, and presents an opportunity for relations between China and the Philippines to restart on a fresh, more positive footing,” Foreign Minister Wang Yi said ahead of Duterte’s arrival.
Applauding Duterte’s commitment to improving bilateral ties and voicing support for dialogue and cooperation between the two nations, Wang said the visit accords with the national interests of the Philippines and the wishes of its people.
No foreign force can stand in the way of improvements to China-Philippines relations, Wang said, adding that China is ready for friendship and cooperation.
The upcoming meetings are expected to enhance cooperation in trade, infrastructure and drug control, said Ruan Zongze, executive deputy president of the China Institute of International Studies.
Though the visit will not be able to wipe the slate clean, it is a “window of opportunity” that may ameliorate the situation, as long as the two sides agree to shelve their differences and get back to consensus through dialogue, Ruan said.
Yesterday marked the “soft opening” of a Chinese-funded rehabilitation center in the Philippine province of Nueva Ecija.
Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial told a news briefing in Malacanang, the presidential palace, that about 1,000 newly hired personnel conducted a dry run on how to manage patients who will be referred to the facility inside the military’s Fort Magsaysay.
“Our opening of the mega drug treatment and rehabilitation center in Nueva Ecija is expected to be sometime November,” she said, recalling that the construction of the rehabilitation center began soon after a donation from Chinese businessman Huang Rulun.
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