President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday he made the right decision in pursuing an independent foreign policy and to pivot to China.

 

In a speech in an event of the Department of Agriculture in Malacanang, Durterte said this was the message he conveyed to visiting Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan who called on him in the Palace.

 

"I just came from an overtime meeting with the Minister of Commerce of China and he brought with him a windfall actually, and he was talking about the springtime relations between our two countries and I responded by saying it was a long, hard winter for all," he said.

 

"And so I told him that I made the correct decision to follow just an independent neutral policy and pursue where our destiny would lie."

 

He said the countries in Asia like the Philippines are fortunate because China, which is a "leading industrial power," is in the region.

 

"We'll have to ally with them in trade and commerce and eventually improve on the bilateral relations and come out with a vibrant economy," Duterte added.

 

He cited exports of agricultural products to China have doubled.

Duterte also thanked China for providing one million dollars for the rehabilitation of earthquake-hit Surigao del Norte last month. Celerina Monte/DMS