Duterte, 71, arrived in Beijing on Tuesday night, kicking off a four-day state visit; on Thursday, he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “The only hope of the Philippines economically, I’ll be frank with you, is China,” Duterte told state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday. Under the last president, Aquino, the Philippines filed a petition to the Permanent Court of Arbitration seeking to clarify the sea’s maritime boundaries. Beijing immediately declared the ruling “null and void.”Duterte has said he will not bring up the issue during his state visit. There’s a conflict between China and the Philippines — the only country that helps the Philippines is the USA.”China has welcomed Duterte’s rapprochement.

Source: Los Angeles Times October 19, 2016 18:33 UTC