(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte and United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim had a meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 11.
In a Twitter post, Kim said he and Duterte had an “excellent” meeting on “shared goals including defense priorities and economic partnership.”
“Our alliance remains strong and iron-clad,” Kim said.
The meeting between the President and Kim took place after Duterte lambasted US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Randall Schriver for warning the Philippines against buying defense equipment from Russia.
Duterte later said several US Cabinet members wrote him to make a sales pitch for the US’ military equipment, including F-16 fighter jets.
President Duterte, said, however, that what he needed were attack helicopters.
Duterte recently ordered the military to purchase intelligence equipment from Israel only.