Ex-President Duterte asked China’s Xi to “look kindly to PH” —Zubiri

Former President Rodrigo Duterte had asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to “look kindly to the Philippines” on the issue of West Philippine Sea (WPS), Senate Juan Miguel Zubiri said, citing information from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

In an interview on CNN Philippines, Zubiri said Marcos mentioned this during their dinner at Malacanang, which came after the president’s meeting with Duterte.

Zubiri said Marcos had told them that Xi did not bring up the WPS issue during the latter’s meeting with Duterte and it was the former Philippine president who raised the matter with China’s top leader.

“What he mentioned to us [during Wednesday’s dinner] was, during the duration of President Duterte’s meeting with Xi Jinping, the topic of the West Philippine Sea never was never brought up,” Zubiri said.

“According to the President, it was actually [former] President Duterte who mentioned to Xi Jinping that on the issue of the West Philippine Sea, ‘Look kindly to the Philippines,’” Zubiri said.

Marcos did not disclose other information regarding his meeting with his predecessor, according to the Senate president.

According to the Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil, Duterte went to see Marcos "to talk to him about his recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China."

“They also discussed other issues. The former President likewise gave some good pieces of advice to President Marcos," Garafil said.

Duterte on July 17 met Xi in Beijing just days after the Philippines commemorated the seventh anniversary of the arbitral ruling which upheld the country's exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea over China's massive claims.

Xi was reported to have asked Duterte to continue promoting cooperation between the two countries.

"I hope you will continue to play an important role in the friendly cooperation (between China and the Philippines)," state media quoted Xi as saying during a meeting at the Diaoyutai state guest-house in Beijing.

"During your tenure as president of the Philippines, you had resolutely made the strategic choice to improve relations with China in an attitude of being responsible to the people and to history," Xi told Duterte.

Asked to comment on Duterte's meeting with Xi, Marcos said he was aware of the former President's trip to China and welcomed any new line of communication with the Asian power amid issues in the South China Sea.

Marcos added that he was certain Duterte will tell the Philippine government the details of his conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping and how it could affect the country.—Hana Bordey/LDF, GMA Integrated News