MORE foreign visits are under way for President Rodrigo Duterte, as he will soon pay his first state visit to South Korea and a return visit to Japan later this year.
In a report by Maeil Business News based in Seoul, Duterte is set to visit the East Asia country “in the second half of the year” after accepting the offer of the South Korea Importers Association for an investment forum.
During Duterte’s visit, both countries’ institutions in charge of international trade such as Koima, the Philippine Exporters Confederation, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Philippine Food Processors and Exporters Organization would sign memoranda of understanding (MOUs) to come up with ways to facilitate bilateral free trade.
“Koima will work hard to address trade imbalance with the Philippines,” said its chairman Shin Myoung-jin.
It will be Duterte’s first visit to South Korea as the president of the Philippines, after visiting the country twice before as mayor of Davao. He will also be among the first to meet with the new president of South Korea following the May 9 election.
The Blue House, currently without a tenant after President Park Geun-hye was removed from office following the Constitutional Court verdict upholding legislative impeachment motion, did not make any statement.
The Tokyo-based news agency Nikkei likewise confirmed Duterte’s second visit to Japan by “early June,” with another meeting arranged between him and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss regional security issues, such as territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Duterte is scheduled to speak at the 23rd International Conference on the Future of Asia, which is hosted by Nikkei Inc., on June 5 and 6 in Tokyo.
The conference will also be attended by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.
The theme of the conference is globalism at a crossroads, and participants will discuss security and trade issues, among other topics.
It will be Duterte’s second visit to Japan, the first one being last October.
This May, Duterte will be making visits to China and Moscow as part of his bid to strenghten ties with the two countries.
