PRESS RELEASE

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Duterte To Visit China and Japan in October

Sept. 24, 2016 (EIRNS)—Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has announced formally that he will visit China on Oct. 19-20, confirming the reconciliation between the two countries after Obama and former President Noynoy Aquino had provoked a crisis and turned the Philippines into a tool of Obama’s military confrontation with China.

Duterte will follow the China visit with a visit to Japan.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lu Kang welcomed the visit on Sept. 23 and said that

"Huge differences or not, as long as China and the Philippines maintain the political willingness to resolve problems, there will be no insurmountable obstacles in the development of bilateral relations."

A source in Duterte’s office told Global Times that it was possible that former President Fidel Ramos, whom Duterte appointed as an envoy to China, could visit as early as next week to lay the groundwork for talks.

A major early agreement is being sought by Duterte to restore fishing rights in contested areas, especially the Scarborough Shoal. Other issues will be Duterte’s interest in getting Chinese involvement in rail and other infrastructure in the Philippines, and cooperation in his intense crackdown on drugs. Much of the methamphetamines which are wrecking Philippine youth are produced in China.

Duterte told a group of Chinese businessmen in Manila on Sept. 22 that "You will see me often" in China.