(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he would talk to United States President Donald Trump about three things: trade, extremism and terrorism, and the South China Sea.
Duterte made the revelation when asked by a reporter at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport prior to his departure for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Vietnam.
After the APEC summit, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit will be held in the Philippines.
Duterte said the South China Sea issue in particular would be raised during a bilateral meeting with the US President, where “they might ask a very definitive position of the Philippines vis a vis China.”
“My response would always be based on what they have agreed on. I think they are meeting ahead and we will wait for the results, and I will be in a position to at least give him a balanced answer,” Duterte said.
He emphasized that the Philippines was “not beholden to anyone.”
“I will listen to you but if it is not to the interest of my country, I will ignore you,” Duterte said.