Duterte jokes Philippines can be China’s province

President Rodrigo Duterte expressed in jest his willingness to submit the Philippines as another province of China.

Speaking before Chinese-Filipino businessmen at the anniversary celebration of the Chinese Filipino Business Club on Monday, the President joked, “If you want, you can make us one of your provinces, Fujian, Philippine province of China. So that we’ll no longer have problems, everything will be free.”

Duterte also expressed his appreciation over how the Asian giant is being coursed and his sustained confidence in the promise of China’s president that they are not going to go beyond what they have agreed, that is, not to build a man-made island on the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

“I respect Xi Jinping, they assured us they will not build anything on Scarborough,” Duterte said before the Chinese-Filipino businessmen.

He added, “Just believe because that is his commitment to me. It was Xi Jinping himself who said that and he’s a man of honor.“

Meanwhile, Chinese ambassador Zhao Jianhua, who was present at the event, when asked for a comment, said that he did not take Duterte’s remarks seriously as for him it was only a joke.

(DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 02/ 20 /18)