Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose talks about the details of President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 upcoming visits to Myanmar and Thailand. NESTOR CORRALES/蜜桃工作室
President Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to go on official visits to Myanmar and Thailand next week to complete his swing through the nine other member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
鈥淧resident Rodrigo Duterte will undertake [an official] visit to Myanmar on March 19 and March 20, to be followed by an official visit to the Kingdom of Thailand on March 20 to 22,鈥� foreign affairs spokesperson Charles Jose said in a Palace briefing.
Jose said 鈥渢hese visits are part of the President鈥檚 introductory visits to countries in Southeast Asia.鈥�
He said Duterte鈥檚 state visit to Myanmar was upon the invitation of the President of Myanmar,聽 U Htin Kyaw.
Duterte, he said, is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Htin Kyaw who will host a state banquet in honor of Duterte.
During his visit, the President will also meet other high-level government officials, including State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Jose said Duterte would also meet the Filipino community in Myanmar in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw.
He said the Chief Executive would inform the Filipino community 鈥渁bout his administration鈥檚 priority programs and developments in the Philippines.鈥�
Jose said that in Duterte鈥檚 Thailand trip, he and Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha would hold bilateral meeting 鈥渨here they are expected to discuss issues of mutual concern, including political, economic, agriculture, energy, education, and defense cooperation.鈥�
鈥淧resident Duterte is expected to brief Thai officials on the priorities and programs of the Philippines for its Asean Chairmanship this year,鈥� he said.
The President is also 鈥渟cheduled to meet the more than 16,000 Filipinos living and working in Thailand,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he visits to Myanmar and Thailand demonstrate our leaders鈥� resolve to forge stronger relations with our neighbors and cooperate closely with them in various areas of endeavor,鈥� Jose said. IDL/rga
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