President Xi Jinping of China met with former Philippine President Duterte on July 17th at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. During the meeting, President Jinping commended Duterte for his strategic decision to improve relations with China during his tenure as President of the Philippines. This decision has helped bring China-Philippines relations back to the right track and allowed for flourishing exchanges between the two countries. Jinping emphasized the importance of a good-neighborly and friendly environment for the development of both nations, rooted in the Asian family of win-win cooperation. China remains committed to building friendship and partnership with its neighbors, including the Philippines, and Jinping expressed his hope that Duterte would continue to play an important role in fostering friendly cooperation between the two countries.
Duterte expressed his gratitude to China for its valuable support in the economic and social development of the Philippines, particularly in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. He acknowledged that the development of friendly relations between the Philippines and China aligns with the interests of both peoples and is the desire of the majority of the Filipino people. Duterte expressed his willingness to continue promoting friendship between the two nations.
The meeting was attended by Wang Yi, China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister.
This article was edited by Zhao Wenhan.