MANILA, Philippines — Nagpahayag kahapon ng pasasalamat at pagpuri si US President Donald Trump kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte kaugnay umano ng matagumpay na pagho-host ng bansa sa 31st ASEAN Summit.
“Rodrigo (President Duterte), I would like to commend you on your success as ASEAN chair at this critical moment of time ...The show last night was fantastic. And you were fantastic,” wika pa ni US President Trump, matapos na mapakanta si Pangulong Duterte ng kantang “Ikaw” ka-duet si Asia’s Queen of Song Pilita Corales, dahil na rin sa hiling ni Trump.
Siniguro naman ni Trump na lalong palalakasin ng Trump administration ang relasyon nito sa Pilipinas gayundin sa ASEAN.
Nauna rito ay nagkaroon ng bilateral meeting sina Pangulong Duterte at President Trump sa PICC, sa Pasay City, kung saan tumagal ito nang halos isang oras.
Ayon kay Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, nagkaroon ng prangkang usapan sina Pangulong Duterte at President Trump na inabot ng 40 minuto kung saan siniguro ni Trump na kaibigan siya ng Duterte administration.
“They reaffirmed the very close ties between the Philippines and the US. President Trump specifically said that he has always been a friend of the Duterte administration, and that like previous administrations of the United States, he stressed that he can be counted upon as a friend of the Duterte administration,”wika pa ni Sec. Roque sa Malacañang reporters matapos ang bilateral talks nina Duterte at Trump.
Tinalakay din umano ng dalawang lider ang usapin ng kalakalan at iminungkahi ni Pangulong Duterte ang kahalagahan ng pagkakaroon ng free trade sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at US.