(Eagle News)–Senator JV Ejercito expressed hope President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping would talk about the South China Sea and other relevant topics.
“Yung freedom of navigation because that causes instability, that would affect also our business climate. Tayo ang pinakaapektado eh gaya yung area na tipoing kini-claim yun kinukuha ng China,” Ejercito said.
He said there was also a need to clarify “kung sana kasing friendly ng Japan yung kanilang overseas development assistance..”
He said “maraming nag-aalala, tulad ko,” noting that he was one of those pushing for infrastructure projects and transport modernization.
“Yung sa Japan side talagang kita mo naman friendly yung package, yung sa China side they have to be transparent also. Sana nga walang strings attached,” Ejercito said.
He said if the Chinese were really the friends of Filipinos, they should “help us cut the source,” noting that most people who were arrested because of this were Chinese or from the mainland.
“Well sana kasi I think after almost three years of war against drugs, andiyan pa rin eh. So talagang we have to address the source, yan ang problema (source of drugs),” he said.
Xi will embark on a two-day state visit to the Philippines starting Tuesday, Nov. 20.
He will have been the first Chinese President to go on a state visit to the country following Hu Jintao in 2005.
