WATCH

Duterte pours alcohol on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's hands during courtesy call

President Rodrigo Duterte was caught on video pouring alcohol on the hands of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during the latter's courtesy call at Malacañang on Saturday afternoon, according to a tweet by GMA News reporter Joseph Morong.

This happened after Duterte shaked Wang's hand. 

The President looked for his aide who provided the alcohol. Duterte sanitized his hands, then got the alcohol bottle himself and poured some onto Wang's hands.

He did the same to another Chinese official.

Authorities have been constantly reminding the public to do Mask-Hugas-Iwas amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“No less than President Rodrigo Roa Duterte agreed to appear in a public service announcement made by Office of the Presidential Spokesperson encouraging Filipinos to wear mask, wash hands, and do physical distancing encapsulated in the Chief Executive’s three-line campaign, ‘Mask, Hugas, Iwas,’” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said back in October.

Wang began his two-day official visit to the Philippines on Saturday.

He first met with Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. for a bilateral meeting preceded by a signing of the guest book before proceeding to meet Duterte.

During Wang's courtesy call at Malacañang, Duterte called for the strengthening of public health cooperation between the Philippines and China amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Duterte pointed out that cooperation on the pandemic not only safeguarded the health of people but also hastened "the economic recovery of both countries and the larger region.”

He also expressed appreciation for China’s support and cooperation in the country's fight against COVID-19.

Earlier, Wang announced that China planned to donate 500,000 doses of vaccines to the Philippines. —KG, GMA News