Philippines, China vow closer ties, management of disputes

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping resolved to strengthen their countries' friendship during their meeting in Beijing, with China pledging to speed up infrastructure projects it is funding in the Philippines.

"We renewed our resolve to strengthen our friendship and mutually beneficial partnership on a broad range of areas," Duterte said in southern Davao City on his return from Beijing. "We resolved to fully use the mechanisms we have established to dialogue openly, monitor progress and ensure implementation of projects."

Duterte, who took office last June, has worked to repair relations with China that have been strained by territorial conflicts in the South China Sea and an international arbitration ruling on a case filed by his predecessor that invalidated Beijing's claims to the disputed territory. Duterte met separately with Xi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang after attending last weekend's "Belt and Road" trade initiative.

Duterte said both he and Xi were looking forward to officials from both countries meeting later this week for inaugural bilateral talks on the South China Sea. Philippine officials have said the meeting will be held Friday in southwestern China.

Duterte said he didn't raise the arbitration ruling while in Beijing.

"There is a time for me to ask about the arbitral ruling, but it is not now," Duterte said. The agenda, mechanics and "how to present our case to them" have to be ironed out first "because we agreed to talk and to have a dialogue," he added.

Four agreements were signed during the visit, including a Chinese grant of 500 million yuan ($72.5 million) for feasibility studies of infrastructure projects in the Philippines and construction of a drug rehabilitation center.

Also signed were memorandums of understanding on cooperation in human resources development and personnel exchanges, energy cooperation, and enhancing government capabilities in communication and publishing.

Duterte thanked China for its generosity, including providing grants and loans, promising to build two bridges for free in metropolitan Manila and increasing imports of Philippine agricultural products.