Noy, Xi can still discuss bilateral issues during troika

MANILA, Philippines - There will be no bilateral meeting, but President Aquino and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be seatmates during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit in Manila next week.

APEC 2015 National Organizing Council (NOC) director general Marciano Paynor Jr. said yesterday it is normal practice for the current, previous and future hosts of the APEC summit, called the “troika,” to be seated together.

China was APEC host in 2014, while Peru will host it in 2016.

“The opportunity for the President and President Xi Jinping will always be there if they wish to talk about issues that are bilateral in nature,” Paynor said.

The Philippines and China agreed during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday to avoid discussions on tensions in the West Philippine Sea during the APEC summit.

Wang said the Philippines’ case against China at an arbitration tribunal had strained relations between Beijing and Manila. It is up to the Philippines to improve its ties with China, he added.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said there was no reason to raise the issue, noting that the agenda at the APEC meeting is economic and not political.

“The agenda of the APEC summit was agreed upon by all the 21 member-economies and everything that would be discussed had been laid down based on the theme ‘Building Economies, Building a Better World’,” Coloma said.

He also assured the public that anti-China protests would not affect Xi’s security while in the country. He said the APEC-NOC would ensure that necessary security measures are in place during the summit.

“As stated by President Aquino, the Philippines would like to manifest utmost hospitality to visiting delegations,” Coloma said.  – With Aurea Calica