President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Tuesday, January 9, met with the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Member Meng Xiangfeng.

During the meet and greet at Malacañang Palace, the President reiterated “our desire and wish of the Filipino people that we make our bond stronger.”

He further noted that the bond is “improving everyday.”

Other CPC members who were present during the meeting were Yuan Zhibing, Director General of Bureau One International Department of the CPC; Lin Zhi, Division Chief, Personnel Bureau, CPC; and Du Dingding, Division Chief, Bureau One International Department of the CPC.

People’s Republic of China to the Philippines Ambassador Zhao Jianhua, and Embassy of China Counsellor Sun Yi were also present during the meeting.

According to President Duterte, the CPC members visited the country upon the invitation of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), the President’s political party.

Among the Philippine officials present were Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

Meanwhile, Seiko Noda, the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan, also paid a courtesy call on President Duterte at the Malacañang Palace.

Noda expressed gratitude to Duterte for taking time to meet her despite the President’s busy schedule.

Also present during the meeting were Koji Haneda, Japan’s Ambassador to the Philippines; Kenichi Imabayashi, Director-General, Global Strategy Bureau Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications; Kazuaki Omori, Director, International Cooperation Division, Global Strategy Bureau; and Takehiro Kano, Embassy of Japan Deputy Chief of Mission.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr., and Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Eliseo Rio, Jr. were among the Philippine officials present during the courtesy call. ### PND