MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte expressed his support to Chinese President Xi Jinping, citing the importance of the rule of law amid anti-Beijing protests in Hong Kong, said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.
Panelo added Duterte expressed his support on China about the political unrest in Hong Kong during his bilateral meeting with Xi on Thursday night.
“The Philippines fully respects China’s laws and the right to maintain law-based governance on the Hong Kong issue,” Panelo quoted Duterte saying.
“‘That we respect the rule of law.’ ‘Yun ang sinabi ni Presidente. And the President of China appreciates that statement,” Panelo added.
Protests in Hong Kong were ignited when the city’s Beijing-backed government tried to pass a bill allowing extraditions to mainland China, but it evolved into a wider call for greater democracy and an investigation into allegations of police brutality.
The Palace earlier told Filipinos to put off Hong Kong travel plans due to the growing anti-government protests in the special administrative region that led to an abrupt closure of its airport./PN
