President Duterte arrives in Beijing for Belt and Road Forum

President Duterte is accompanied by Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello, and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. (Photo: Presidential Communications (Government of the Philippines)/ Facebook)

BEIJING–President Rodrigo Roa Duterte arrived here on Saturday to participate at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

The Chief Executive’s plane touched down at the Beijing International Airport at 11:16 p.m.

President Duterte is accompanied by Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello, and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

Also joining the President are Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, and National Economic and Development Authority Director General Ernesto Pernia.

Also part of the official delegation are Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Rep. Wesley Gatchalian, PNP Director General Ronald Dela Rosa, and Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana.

On Sunday, the President will have a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Mongolia Jargatulygn Erdenebat at the Drawing II Room of the Grand Hyatt Beijing Hotel.

The President will then join the welcome dinner at the Great Hall of the People.

He will then proceed to the Opera House of the National Center for Performing Arts to watch the Cultural Gala Performance.

On Monday, the President will go to Yanqi Lake, International Convention Center for the welcoming ceremony.

He will then join the Leaders Roundtable Session 1 at the Ji Xian Hall of the International Convention Center.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, among the topics expected to be discussed include infrastructure connectivity; economic and trade cooperation; industrial investment; energy and resources; financial support; people-to-people exchanges; ecological and environmental protection; and marine cooperation.

This will be followed by the taking of the group photo at the Hanque Square of Yanqi Lake, International Convention Center.

President Duterte will also attend the APERITIF at the Hai Yan Hall of Yanqi Hotel.

He will then join a working lunch at the Hai Yan Hall of Yanqi Hotel. A Session II of the Leader’s Roundtable will follow at the International Convention Center.

President Duterte will have an expanded bilateral meeting with Premier Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping.

He will also have a restricted meeting with the Chinese President.

The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, also known as the Silk Road Summit, will be attended by 29 heads of states and over 60 countries.

China is the third of the President’s three-swing visit this month. Prior to his visit to China, President Duterte attended the World Economic Forum on ASEAN in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He also had a working visit to Hong Kong, where he met with the Filipino community.

It will be recalled that President Duterte was in China for a four-day state visit in October last year.