29 agreements signed during Xi Jinping's visit to the Philippines
The two countries signed a total of 29 agreements, including an agreement on joint oil and gas exploitation at sea, which is considered the most notable highlight of the Chinese President's visit to the Philippines this time.
 |
| General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping and President Rodrigo Duterte after a joint press conference on November 20 - Photo: Reuters |
On November 20, the Philippines and China signed 29 agreements during the visit of General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping to the capital Manila, according to the Inquirer newspaper (Philippines).
The agreements cover trade, infrastructure and education, with a notable memorandum of understanding on joint offshore oil and gas exploration.
The agreement on joint exploitation was signed by Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, witnessed by President Rodrigo Duterte and Mr. Xi, according to the Inquirer.
Previously, according to Reuters, on November 20, Philippine opposition senators asked President Duterte to make public the detailed terms of the joint energy exploitation plan at sea.
They warned that such a deal risked asserting China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, which are not recognized under international law.
Mr. Xi is the first Chinese president to visit the Philippines in 13 years since Hu Jintao's visit in 2005.
In a statement issued on November 19 ahead of his visit, Xi compared the relationship between the two countries to a “rainbow after the rain,” referring to the significant positive changes in bilateral relations since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in June 2016. The number of 29 agreements signed speaks for itself.
