Xi extends condolences to Duterte over 'Nina' casulaties, damage
January 2, 2017 | 11:24am
A Filipino boards one of several fishing boats that took shelter from Typhoon Nock-Ten in Manila, Philippines Monday, Dec. 26, 2016. The powerful typhoon slammed into the eastern Philippines on Christmas Day, spoiling the biggest holiday in Asia's largest Catholic nation, where a governor offered roast pig to entice villagers to abandon family celebrations for emergency shelters.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
MANILA, Philippines — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday expressed to President Rodrigo Duterte his condolences over the casualties and damage due to Typhoon Nina (international name: Nock-ten).
The Chinese Embassy in Manila said that Xi sent to Duterte his condolences which also extends to those affected by the typhoon.
Over P5.1 billion worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure was incurred by Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Bicol, according to the latest situation report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Sunday. "Nina" made landfall over Bato, Catanduanes on Christmas Day.
The disaster management agency added that 424,223 families or 1,893,404 individuals were affected in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol and Eastern Visayas. Nina left three dead while 21 persons remain missing.
Xi said that China is ready to provide emergency assistance to those hit and made homeless by the disaster.
The Chinese president also expressed his belief that Filipinos would overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes "under the leadership of Duterte."
Duterte has been cozying up to China while stating strong comments against the Philippines' longtime ally the United States over criticisms on human rights abuses in his drug war.
Ties between Manila and Beijing had been hostile after the 2012 standoff at the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. It has further soured when the Aquino administration filed an arbitration case against China in the Hague.
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