President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivered the statement of the Philippines during the ASEAN-China Summit.

The President welcomed China’s vaccine development efforts and its commitment to make safe vaccines as he expressed hope that ASEAN will be among the first to benefit.

President Duterte expressed his commitment in concluding an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea in accordance with international law including the 1982 UNCLOS. He further said that as country coordinator for ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, the Philippines did its utmost to shepherd substantive progress in the COC negotiation and as China coordinator the Philippines will finish the second reading before turning it over to Myanmar.

The Chief Executive thanked the full support and cooperation of his counterparts for the accomplishments the Philippines has made as country coordinator referring to it as “friendship and cooperation at work.”