THE Philippines and China may now speed up boosting their trade and economic relations as a result of the talks that are underway, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said Sunday.
“I am very happy to report that we are on track on this one and we will be pushing for more vigorous talks for the purpose of implementation of the broad strokes that we have arrived at when we signed those MOUs,” Yasay said in a statement.
Before the formal opening of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting, President Rodrigo Duterte had two separate bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jin Ping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He first met with Xi who had requested the meeting to follow through on the memorandums of understanding signed by the Philippines and China during Duterte’s state visit to China.
Duterte and Xi likewise touched on the plight of Filipino fishermen in Scarborough Shoal, when Xi said the fishermen would continue to have free access to their traditional fishing grounds apart from offering them training.
The two also discussed the lifting of China’s ban on Chinese travel to the Philippines, Duterte’s invitation to Xi to visit the Philippines that Xi accepted, and China’s hosting of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Conference.
Duterte then met Putin and both agreed to boost their trade relations.
Putin also invited Duterte to visit Russia.