MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. met with former President  Rodrigo Duterte  at the Malacañan Palace on Wednesday evening, August 2, where they discussed the latter's recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

President Marcos and his Cabinet members -- Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Special Assistant to the President Secretary Antonio Lagdameo Jr., National Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra and Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil — welcomed Duterte at around 6:15pm.

The former President was accompanied by Senator Christopher Go and former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

Last month, Duterte met with Xi at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing.

Aside from discussing Duterte’s meeting with Xi, the two leaders also talked about other issues. The former president likewise gave some good pieces of advice to President Marcos.

Upon arrival, President Marcos and former President Duterte had a one-on-one meeting. They were later joined by the cabinet secretaries as well as Go and Medialdea.

The meeting ended at 8.15pm.

President Marcos, in an earlier interview, expressed hope that the initiative of the former president will boost the ties between the Philippines and China, and that it will also help the two countries in resolving their differences. (PND)