BANGKOK, Thailand—President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Friday, June 21, arrived in Bangkok, Thailand to attend the 34th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit aimed at advancing further the shared vision of a people-centered and people-oriented ASEAN community.
President Duterte’s plane touched down at the Suvarnabhumi Airport at 10 p.m. (Bangkok time).
He was welcomed by Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Protocol Director General Nadhavathna Krishnamra, as well as Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Mary Jo Bernardo-Aragon.
During his attendance at the summit, President Duterte will join other leaders to discuss ways to further deepen regional cooperation to boost inclusive, equitable, and sustainable economic development and to promote and uphold the rights of migrant Filipino workers and other vulnerable groups.
The President will also raise regional and global issues concerning security and stability in Southeast Asia and the larger Asia-Pacific region, including the South China Sea and the ongoing US-China trade war. Terrorism and violent extremism, climate change, transnational crimes, and drug trafficking are also on the agenda.
Working with ASEAN leaders, the President will assess the implementation of agreements in previous summits, including the initiatives under the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship in 2017 such as the ASEAN Consensus on the Promotion and Protection of Migrant Workers, the Action Agenda on Mainstreaming Women’s Economic Empowerment in ASEAN, and the ASEAN Declaration on Innovation.
ASEAN leaders joining President Duterte are the leaders of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Viet Nam.
On the sidelines of the summit, President Duterte will hold bilateral meetings with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha and Indonesian President Joko Widodo to further expand bilateral relations with the two neighboring countries.
The President is also scheduled to engage chief executive officers (CEOs) of Thailand’s top business conglomerates to promote the Philippines as a trade and investment destination.
The members of the President’s official delegation include Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, and Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, as well as Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Mary Jo Bernardo-Aragon and Philippine Permanent Representative to ASEAN Noel Servigon.
The 34th ASEAN Summit has for its theme “Advancing Partnerships for Sustainability.” This is President Duterte’s third visit to Thailand following his trips to the Kingdom in March 2017 and November 2016. PND
