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![Duterte met Putin for the first time, but this is his second meeting with Xi as ties between the two countries imporve [Xinhua]](http://thebricspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/260720193_8-e1479650368421.jpg)
Duterte met Putin for the first time, but this is his second meeting with Xi as ties between the two countries imporve [Xinhua]
Duterte, meanwhile, hailed Russia as a “great country” after his first meeting with its head of state Vladimir Putin.
In his meeting with Putin, Duterte was highly critical of American military endeavors in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and the Korean peninsula. He also accused Western powers of starting wars against smaller, weaker nations.
Duterte praised Putin “not only because you represent a great country, but because of your leadership skills”.
For his part, Putin praised the Philippine leader for doing much to quickly “[develop] the all-round partnership between our countries and with respect to promoting greater trust and confidence between us.”
At the forum Duterte also met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping – their second meeting in three weks – promising that he would align his foreign policy toward China-led Asian economic development.
During his visit to Beijing in October, Duterte said that he was committed to discussing the South China Sea territorial dispute in a bilateral fashion with his Chinese counterparts.
On Saturday, Xi pledged to allow Filipino fishermen access to the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, and to provide them with training to improve their catch.
On Sunday, Duterte skipped a gala dinner for APEC leaders because he was not feeling well, one of his spokespersons said.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
