Xi Jinping to Duterte: Ready to work with you for greater win-win results

June 10 ------ Chinese President Xi Jinping has committed to advance relations and achieve "greater win-win results" with the Philippines on the 46th anniversary of Philippine-China diplomatic relations. In a letter addressed to President Rodrigo Duterte, Xi said China and the Philippines are "friendly neighbors with time-honored friendship." "In recent years, with concerted efforts of both sides, China-Philippines relations have maintained health and stable development, bringing tangible benefits to our two peoples," Xi wrote.

"I attach great significance to the development of China-Philippines relations, and stand ready to work with you in guiding our bilateral relations to move forward in a sustained and steady manner, so as to achieve greater win-win results and mutual benefits," he added. Earlier, Duterte said the Philippines would continue to pursue mutually beneficial bilateral relations with China. Duterte has consistently called China a dependable friend especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

To date, the majority of the Philippines's COVID-19 vaccine supply was either donated by China or procured from Chinese company Sinovac. Likewise, Duterte has said that he will only send gray ships to the West Philippine Sea once China drills oil within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. Philippine patrols have been reporting the presence of Chinese vessels within the country's exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea but presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has maintained that the Chinese will eventually leave.

Source: gmanetwork.com