BEIJING – Chinese Premier Li Qiang will visit Manila to attend the ASEAN summit this week, Beijing’s foreign ministry said on Nov 11, joining world leaders including US President Donald Trump.
China and the Philippines have long been at loggerheads over competing claims in the South China Sea, and have taken diplomatic swipes at each other in the run-up to the summit.
Beijing accused Manila in October of “erecting multiple obstacles” to its attendance at an ASEAN meeting in the Philippines that month, a claim rejected by the South-east Asian country’s defence chief.
China’s top diplomat Wang Yi also urged the Philippines to rein in politicians who had repeatedly “smeared” Beijing and crossed its “red lines”.
Beijing’s foreign ministry announced on Nov 11 that Li will participate in an upcoming ASEAN summit in Manila on Nov 15 and Nov 16.
“Through this meeting, China looks forward to strengthening solidarity and mutual trust with ASEAN member states,” ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters at a regular briefing.
“We aim to deepen collaboration in areas such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, energy security, connectivity, and poverty reduction and development,” Guo added.
Trump, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are among world leaders confirmed to fly to Manila for the Nov 15-18 ASEAN summit and related meetings.
Besides China, ASEAN’s other so-called East Asian dialogue partners – Japan and South Korea – will also be represented. AFP
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