Duterte, Li to hold talks next week

President Duterte will hold talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during the latter’s visit to the Philippines next week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

Li will also meet with Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez during the first visit to the Philippines by a Chinese premier in a decade.

Foreign Affairs Assistant Minister Chen Xiaodong said the leaders of the two countries will have an in-depth exchange of views on how to deepen China-Philippines relations in the new era, practical cooperation in various fields and regional and international issues of common concern.

“The Philippines is the destination of Premier Li Keqiang’s first visit after the 19th CPC National Congress, which shows that China attaches great importance to China-Philippines relations,” Chen said.

“It is believed that the visit will vigorously advance bilateral relations in the new era and promote China-Philippines relations to become an important practice of building a new type of international relations as well as a community with a shared future for mankind,” he added.

During the visit, the two sides will issue a joint statement that reflects the major consensus and achievements of the visit. The talks are expected to reach a series of important cooperation achievements in such fields as infrastructure, economy, trade, investment, social and people-to-people and cultural engagement.

Li will brief Duterte on the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress, explain the diplomatic policy toward neighboring countries with Chinese characteristics in the new era and China’s policy on East Asia cooperation.

He will also propose nearly 30 new initiatives to deepen practical cooperation under various mechanisms, covering such areas as connectivity, food security, poverty alleviation, tourism and anti-corruption, which are expected to improve and upgrade China-ASEAN cooperation and elevate East Asia cooperation to a new level.

“The Philippines is China’s friendly neighbor and important partner. Since last year, China-Philippines relations have achieved a turnabout and have been constantly developing toward a positive direction,” Chen added.

Commerce Vice Minister Wang Shouwen said that “since the turnabout of China-Philippines relations, the two sides have smoothly advanced cooperation in

such fields as trade, investment, development assistance, major infrastructure and people’s livelihood projects, and personnel exchanges, making remarkable achievement.”

During the visit, Duterte and Li will have extensive and in-depth exchanges of views and sign a number of cooperation documents covering infrastructure, industrial parks and the implementation of assistance to the Philippines, in order to vigorously promote the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries and push bilateral practical cooperation for new results.