Duterte's 2019 trips focused on 'people to the east'

GMA resident political analyst Richard Heydarian on Friday looked back on the foreign trips of President Rodrigo Duterte in 2019, noting that these trips were to forge agreements and explore business opportunities in countries located in the east.

In a report on Stand For Truth, Heydarian noted that Duterte did not visit any western country this year.

On April 2019, Duterte's first major visit took place in China for the second Belt and Road Initiative in which the President had focused on infrastructure development.

On May 2019, the President visited Japan, another "important strategic partner."

"During the visit, the two countries signed 26 agreements, 7 deals with businesses or business related entities, while 19 are letters of intent in which Philippine and Japanese companies expressed their interest in making investments with each other," Heydarian said.

Duterte visited Thailand in June 2019 for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.

Heydarian said this visit was very important as the Philippines will become the ASEAN-China country coordinator for the next two years, granting the Philippines a "major say" in all issues concerning ASEAN and China.

At the end of August to September 2019, Duterte returned to China.

During the visit, the Philippines and China signed 6 agreements which covered Science and Education, Technology, and Finance and Customs among others.

The President was also able to meet top celebrities like Jackie Chan.

On October 2019, Duterte visited Russia where he gave a speech at a conference. He also oversaw a business forum where he asked companies, especially those involved in infrastructure and energy, to visit the Philippines.

It was also in October that Duterte returned to Japan to attend the enthronement of Japanese Emperor Naruhito.

However, the visit was cut short due to unbearable pain in his spine. Due to this, Duterte's daughter and Davao Mayor Sara Duterte attended the events for him.

Duterte visited Thailand again in November for the East Asia Summit and other related summits under the ASEAN.

During the visit, Duterte talked about the importance of the expedient finalization of the Code of Conduct of the West Philippine Sea and the finalization of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or major free trade area in the Asia Pacific.

Duterte then attended a bilateral meeting held in South Korea. During his visit, Philippines and Korea signed four agreements on the proposed free trade deal and bilateral ties. — Joahna Lei Casilao/BAP, GMA News