PH Leader Duterte Plans to Visit Russia After China, Japan

Oct 12, 2016 07:00 AM EDT

Philippine presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte gestures during a labor day campaign rally on May 1, 2016 in Manila, Philippines.

(Photo : Getty Images) Philippine presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte gestures during a labor day campaign rally on May 1, 2016 in Manila, Philippines.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday that he will likely visit Russia following his China and Japan trips.

"I will go to Japan, then probably I will go to Russia," Duterte said in his speech during the oath taking of officials at the Malacañang Palace, Manila, Philippines.

Like Us on Facebook

Duterte said that Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev invited him to visit Russia during the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Laos last September, the Philippine Star reported.

"In that meeting namin sa Laos [In our meeting in Laos] nobody knew it but I... we talked, kami lang dalawa [just the two of us] ni Medvedev," Duterte told the newly appointed government officials.

"Sabi niya [He said] 'You go to Russia and we will talk about it. We have everything that you need here," he said, adding "Pati pera siguro [including money maybe]."

However, a date for his Russian trip has not been set yet, the Manila Bulletin reported.

On Oct. 16 to 18, Duterte will be flying for a state visit to Brunei, where he is expected to have an audience with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan, and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.

Included on his itinerary is his meeting with the 6,000-to-7,000 members of the Filipino community at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.

Then on Oct. 18, the president is set to fly to Beijing for his four-day state visit, which will includes his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Ahead of his visit, Duterte already said he will not raise the Scarborough Shoal issue during his trip.

Duterte will then go back to Manila on Oct. 21 before leaving for an official visit again in Japan.

Duterte said he accepted the state visit invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit. Abe reportedly talked about providing the country two ships and lending five surveillance aircrafts.

TagsDuterte, President Duterte, Philippine President, Russia, china, Dmitri Medvedev, ASEAN