Shinzo Abe ‘honored ’to be first foreign leader to visit PHL under Duterte

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is apparently pleased to be the first foreign leader to visit the Philippines during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In his opening statement during their summit meeting in Malacañang, Abe told Duterte that he also chose Philippines to be his first foreign visit in 2017 to show his commitment to improve the relations between the two nations.

"This is a tremendous honor for me to be invited as the very first foreign leader under your administration visiting Manila," Abe said.

"I chose the Philippines as my first destination this year and that is a testament to my primary emphasis on our bilateral relationship with the Philippines," he added.

"Back in October, I welcomed Mr. President in Tokyo and I am delighted to be back in Manila to see you again and after only a short interval," Abe said.

"And, moreover, tomorrow my wife and I will visit Davao, your home city, and that gives us a great pleasure," he added.

Abe said that he supported the Philippines' chairmanship of the ASEAN.

"Mr. President will serve as the ASEAN chair this year and I am ready to fully support your Chairmanship so as you have successful ASEAN-Related Summit Meetings and the East Asia Summit this year," Abe said.

"And together with you, I am committed to elevating our bilateral relationship to a higher ground covering a wide-range of areas. And also let us work hand in hand in addressing various challenges of the Asia Pacific region," he added.

"And I very much look forward to having a very candid discussion with Mr. President today," Abe said.

Meanwhile, in his opening statement, Duterte said that Abe's visit showed "the shared commitment to further strengthen our important and valued strategic partnership."

"We can identify ways of building on agreements that we have made on a wide range of issues that would benefit both of our nations and peoples," Duterte said.

"This include among others intensifying trade and investments, bolstering defense, securing just and lasting peace and development in Mindanao, strengthening law enforcement against criminality and ensuring maritime safety and security," he added. —NB, GMA News