PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad are expected to talk about "mutual" concerns during their meeting at Malacañan Palace on Thursday, March 7.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo confirmed in a press conference with Palace reporters on Monday, March 4, that Mahathir, upon Duterte's invitation, would undertake an official visit to the Philippines on March 6 to 7.

He said the two leaders would discuss issues mutually beneficial to the Philippines and Manila, such as politics and economy.

"The President will welcome officially Prime Minister Mahathir at ceremonies in Malacañan Palace on March 7," the Palace official said.

"The two leaders will then hold a bilateral meeting and discuss cooperation in the political, economic and people-to-people spheres, and exchange views on topics of mutual importance," he added.

Mahathir's arrival in Manila this week is the first since he assumed his position as the seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia in 2018.

Mahathir, a former strongman of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003, won for the second time as Malaysian Prime Minister last year. During his previous term as prime minister, he undertook bilateral official visits in the Philippines in 1987 and 1994. (SunStar Philippines)