President Duterte skipped the opening ceremony of the two-day international trade summit organized by China yesterday to prepare for even bigger events and meetings today.

The President was not seen at the opening rites of “Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation” that included public remarks from Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was instead represented by acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.

The Department of Foreign Affairs explained that the President focused on preparing for his “main events” and other “key meetings” scheduled today, May 15. The President’s official schedule did not include attendance to the BRF opening ceremony on Sunday.

“The main events where the President is scheduled to make interventions are at the Leaders’ Roundtable Discussions on May 15. The President is preparing for his key meetings tomorrow (Monday),” the DFA said in a statement.

“The President looks forward to exchanging ideas with his fellow leaders on generating growth and tackling global economic challenges,” it added.

Among the speakers at the BRF opening ceremony were United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde.

The President’s first activity for Sunday was a closed-door bilateral meeting with Mongolia Prime Minister Jargaltulgyn Erdenebat at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Duterte was also expected to join the world leaders attending the BRF at the gala dinner and cultural event hosted by China on Sunday night.

On Monday, the President will join the BRF leaders’ roundtable on “Policy Synergy for Closer Partnership” as well as the working lunch on “Closer People-to-People Bond.”

Another roundtable session on “Connectivity Cooperation for Interconnected Development” will also be attended by President Duterte and other world leaders.

Also on Monday, the President will hold bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

The President is expected to depart Beijing on Monday night and is expected to arrive in Davao early Tuesday morning.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Genalyn D. Kabiling

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