Duterte walks with Putin, Xi at China’s Belt and Road Forum gala
President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday found himself in the company of Russian President Vladimir Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping as he attended the gala dinner of the Belt and Road Forum.
Duterte walked to the gala dinner alongside the two world leaders, both of whom he had praised amid his repeated criticism of the United States.
VIDEO by CGTN: Pres. Duterte with Presidents Xi Jinping and Putin at the gala hosted by China. | @sandraguinaldo pic.twitter.com/6Ag8ClTrMq
— GMA News (@gmanews) May 14, 2017
Duterte arrived at the welcome dinner, held at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, with his partner, Honeylet Avanceña.
They were welcomed by Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan.
At the gala dinner, Duterte found himself seated with Putin, whom he previously dubbed his “idol.”
.@sandraguinaldo From Beijing TV: Pres. Duterte sits beside Pres. Putin of Russia during gala dinner hosted by China| @sandraguinaldo pic.twitter.com/iKGcTTrwah
— GMA News (@gmanews) May 14, 2017
The Philippine president arrived in Beijing with Avanceña, their daughter Kitty, and his official delegation late Saturday night.
He skipped the Belt and Road Forum’s opening ceremony on Sunday morning, in preparation for other activities the following day, a report from 24 Oras said.
Before the gala dinner, Duterte had a bilateral meeting with Mongolian Prime Minister Jargatulygn Erdenebat.
He, along with his economic advisers, also met with representatives from China Railway Group Ltd., a Chinese company that signed a memorandum of understanding on infrastructure with the Philippines, and China International Maritime Containers Group. — Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/BM, GMA News