Singapore PM arrives in PH for Asean Summit

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (L) arrives for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Manila on April 28, 2017.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Manila, where leaders will discuss territorial disputes, terrorism and economic integration, takes place in the Philippine capital on April 28-29. / AFP PHOTO / Mohd RASFAN

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was the last foreign leader to arrive in the Philippines for the 30th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit.

Lee arrived aboard a government plane at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 1 at 5:55 p.m. on Friday (April 28).

Children in traditional Filipino attire handed Philippine and Singaporean flags to the 65-year-old leader.

Secretary Rodolfo Salalima of the Department of Information and Communications Technology welcomed Lee and other delegates from Singapore.

Lee, along with state leaders from the 10-member Asean, will attend the summit that President Rodrigo Duterte will chair on Saturday. (April 29)

In December 2016, Duterte went to Singapore for a state visit, during which he discussed with Singaporean leaders measures on how to boost the two-way two-way trade and investment between their countries.

Singapore is Manila’s fourth biggest trading partner in Asia. The bilateral trade between the two is estimated at $8.8 billion.

There are also 180,000 Filipino migrant workers in Singapore.

READ: Duterte goes on state visit to Singapore

Also during Duterte’s state visit, Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam assured Singapore’s support for the Philippines’ chairmanship of the Asean.

“As founding members of ASEAN, the Philippines and Singapore share a vision and a goal of maintaining peace and stability for our region,” Tan said. /atm