Duterte will visit China in May: Chinese foreign ministry
President Rodrigo Duterte will undertake another visit to China in May, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying, in a regular press conference on January 19, said Duterte told Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin during his visit in Manila early this week that he would visit Beijing in May.
"While meeting with Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin, President Duterte spoke highly of the progress achieved in the rapprochement of China-Philippines relations since last year, saying that he was satisfied with the overall development of bilateral ties following his visit to China last year.
“He will travel to Beijing in May for a high-level forum on international cooperation of the Belt and Road initiative and looks forward to having another meeting with President Xi Jinping," she said.
The Philippine government has not made any confirmation on Duterte's supposed visit in May in Beijing despite queries by Daily Manila Shimbun.
"Better check with the Palace. I have no personal knowledge of it," said Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose when asked to confirm the report.
The Daily Manila Shimbun also sent text messages to Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella and Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. but no replies were received at posting time.
Hua said during Liu's trip to Manila, the two sides had candid and in-depth exchanges and forged broad consensus on the South China Sea issue.
"They agreed to work alongside other ASEAN countries to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), move forward the negotiation process of the code of conduct in the South China Sea (COC), complete the draft framework of the COC before the mid of this year, and strive to reach the COC at an early date based on consensus," she said.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. earlier said as the Philippines assumes the chairmanship of ASEAN this year, the government would push for completion of the COC framework.
Hua said the two countries assented to set up a bilateral negotiation mechanism on the South China Sea issue to discuss issues of common concerns and foster maritime cooperation and security.
In October, Duterte embarked in a state visit to China upon the invitation of Xi.
Under the Duterte administration, the strained relationship of the Philippines and China has improved amid the Philippine president's "softer" stance on the territorial dispute in the South China Sea.
The relations of the two countries soured when the previous administration pursued an arbitration case against China's nine-dash line in the disputed waters.
The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration made an award on the Philippines in July, invalidating China's nine-dash line, which practically covers claim in the entire South China Sea including areas within the 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zones of other countries, like the Philippines. Celerina Monte/DMS
