PRRD to attend virtual Asean-China Summit

MANILA — Malacañang on Saturday confirmed that President Rodrigo Duterte will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) – China Special Summit on November 22 in commemoration of the 30th Dialogue Relations anniversary.

In a statement, the Palace said Duterte will join the leaders’ summit through an online video conference.

“Upon the invitation of President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China, the President will join his Asean counterparts to take stock of the achievements of Asean-China Dialogue Relations over the past three decades and chart the future of the partnership for the next 30 years,” the statement read.

The Special Summit will be co-chaired by Xi and His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, the Asean chair for 2021.

Duterte is expected to tackle the country’s positions on “key areas of cooperation and regional issues”.

The President will be joined by key Philippine officials, including Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, Senator Christopher Go, Presidential Assistant for Foreign Affairs Robert Borje, and Social Welfare and Development Undersecretary Luzviminda Ilagan.