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China says Philippines' Duterte to visit again as ties warm up

REUTERS

 

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte holds talks with China's Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin during his courtesy call at the Malacanang presidential palace in metro Manila, Philippines January 17, 2017. REUTERS/Malacanang Photo/Handout via

 

BEIJING (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will visit China in May to attend a multilateral summit, China's foreign ministry said on Thursday, his second visit to China since taking office as he seeks to further distance himself from Washington.

 

Duterte has carried out a stunning U-turn in Philippines' foreign policy since assuming office last year, making overtures towards China while berating traditional ally the United States.

 

In a statement issued after Duterte met China's Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin in Manila on Tuesday, the Chinese foreign ministry said Duterte said he was pleased with how ties had developed since he came to China last year.

 

"I will come to Beijing in May to attend the 'One Belt, One Road' international cooperation summit forum, and I look forward to meeting President Xi Jinping again," the ministry paraphrased Duterte as saying, without elaborating.

 

The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs said it could not immediately confirm the comments were made as no ministry officials were present at the meeting.

 

China has given few details about the summit, but diplomatic sources in Beijing say the government is expected to invite a large number of foreign leaders to attend.

 

China has dubbed a series of infrastructure projects stretching across some 60 countries as the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, based upon resurrecting the old Silk Road that once connected China with Central Asia, Europe and beyond.

 

Duterte reiterated last month he wanted to avoid confrontation with China and saw no need to press Beijing to abide by a July ruling on China's claims in the disputed South China Sea that went in favour of the Philippines.

 

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Martin Petty in Manila; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-01-19

[Yann55]

The body language in that pic is priceless. Mr Broom-up-his-a meets with Captain Smirky.

 

Trump and Duterte should get on pretty well, though - after all they have a lot in common.

[Pimay1]

Duterte had better have an extra long handle spoon.

[mamypoko]

as bribes mount up

[elgordo38]

Yes I can see more future meetings as they have a common governing style. 

[performance]

Philos are lovely people. That this guy needs a SAS visit of 3 minutes 

[performance]

China have been assholed from Australia. There desperate to own mining and anything that sustains life. They should stay in there own caves. No one wants them. We call you when we want cheap labour ok. ok