China’s Xi Congratulates Philippines’ President Duterte on Inauguration

July 1st, 2016

Awake Goy

nsnbc : China’s President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Phillippine President Rodrigo Duterte on the occasion of Duterte’s inauguration to the office as the 16th President of the Philippines.

Xi Jinping noted in his message to Duterte that he hopes for an improvement in relations between China and the Philippines. The message comes against the backdrop of territorial disputes between China and the Philippines and other ASEAN member States in the South China Sea.

Tensions over the dispute have been rising recently, as a ruling by the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague over the dispute is expected soon. The Philippines brought the dispute before the Court while China insists that territorial disputes should be settled in bilateral talks and negotiations.

Xi hailed the traditional good neighborly relations between China and the Philippines, saying that good-neighborliness and friendship is a historical inheritance for the thousands-year-long history of China-Philippine relations, which is also a right direction that must be insisted in the development of bilateral ties.

Xi noted that today China and the Philippines face important opportunities in the development of bilateral relations. He added that he is willing to make joint efforts with Duterte to promote relations between China and the Philippines toward improvement and realization of healthy and stable development.

Rodrigo Duterte, for his part, held his first speech after his inauguration. While the speech primarily focused on pressing domestic issues that urgently need to be addressed, Duterte commented on international affairs, saying that the Philippines will honor its international commitments and treaties. Duterte did not specifically address the territorial dispute with China.

CH/L – nsnbc 01.07.2016