Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. (FILE) PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — In his first official overseas trip since the pandemic started, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. is embarking on a three-day visit to China.
In a statement Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Locsin, who is visiting China from October 9 to 11, was invited by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
According to the DFA, Locsin and Yi are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting to “discuss the advancement of Philippines-China cooperation and the revitalization of engagement across various fronts, under the new normal.”
“Both Ministers will also discuss regional and global topics of mutual interest,” it added.
Locsin’s visit to China comes more than two weeks after President Rodrigo Duterte affirmed Manila’s 2016 arbitral victory invalidating Beijing’s expansive claims in the South China Sea before the United Nations General Assembly.