PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will be visiting several neigboring countries when he makes his first foreign trip as head of state before receiving the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Vientiane, Laos, his spokesman Ernesto Abella said.
His six-day Asean swing will end on Sept. 9, which would include attendance at the Asean Summit in Laos from Sept. 6 to 8.
Earlier, Abella said Duterte will visit Asean neigbors like Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore to discuss pressing security concerns and explore economic possibilities with them.
“Part of [the discussions] is the security agreements which have been raised in the Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines [tripartite talks]—addressing terrorism, and addressing economic possibilities —these are some of the talking points,” he said.
Included in the agenda is how to revitalize the BIMP-EAGA Growth Area, consisting of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, a subregional economic co-operation initiative founded in Davao City.
Key sectors benefitting from the trade agreement are agri-industry, fisheries, tourism, transportation and shipping, as well as energy.
Duterte said the country’s sea row with China will not be raised in any of his foreign trips next September.
“I won’t talk with Asean about the West Philippine Sea issue. I will only talk directly witho China when I face them,” Duterte said.
In his visit to Malaysia, Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza disclosed that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak had proposed the creation of sea lanes in common borders of Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia, amid rising terror threat in the country’s sea borders.
