President Duterte to have bilateral talks with China, Turkey & Mongolia

HONG KONG–The Philippines’ bid to strengthen partnerships with other countries will further gain ground as President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is set to have bilateral talks with officials from three nations while in China.

President Duterte, in a briefing held after meeting the Filipino community in Hong Kong Saturday night, said he is scheduled to have bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and officials from Turkey and Mongolia.

He, however, declined to elaborate.

The President flew to Beijiing from Hong Kong on Saturday night to attend the two-day Belt & Road Forum starting Sunday.

He has no specific idea yet on what the country will specifically gain from his attendance to the forum but said that “it’s all economics.”

“We have to listen to the presentation. It’s all economics,” he said.

Members of the President’s official delegation to the One Belt, One Road Forum are Foreign Affairs Acting Sectary Enrique Manalo, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, and Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo.

Also part of the group are Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, Rep. Wesley Gatchalian, PNP Police Director Ronald Dela Rosa, and Amb. Jose Santiago Sta. Romana.