PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte met Wednesday United States Pacific Command chief Admiral Harry Harris Jr. and officials of the China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) at the MalacaƱang Palace.
CCCC president Chen Fenjian made a courtesy call on Duterte, along with officials of CCCC subsidiaries, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (Chec).
Others who paid a visit were CRBC president Du Fei, CRBC vice president Liu Hong, CRBC-Philippine branch general manager Ren Xiao Peng, CRBC assistant manager Fong Ka Fuk, Gemma Construction Supply Incorporated Arturo Uy Jr., Chec president Qiaoliang Tang, Chec managing director for South Pacific Division Bo Deng, Chec- Philippines representative Jianhua Ma, Michael Yang, and senior project manager Li Wen Zai.
During the meeting, the President thanked the Chinese government, particularly Chinese President Xi Jinping, for extending assistance to the Philippine government.
Duterte admitted before the CCCC officials that his administration needs China's support on big-ticket infrastructure projects for the country.
"We are very happy that you come here to express your desire to help the Philippines and we thank you, [Chinese President] Xi Jinping who is going out of his way to help us," Duterte told the members of CCCC, a state-owned infrastructure firm.
"I must say we really need the help of China in infrastructure. Nothing seems to be moving here at a fast rate because of traffic and lack of viable infrastructure," he added.
After CCCC's courtesy call, Duterte met Harris and talked about the US' growing tension with the North Korea over the Korean Peninsula.
Duterte took time to ask Harris if the US is worried about the missiles launch of North Korea.
Responding to the President's question, Harris said, "I am worried."
Duterte said that amid the US-North Korea standoff, he believed China "has the greatest leverage over North Korea."
Duterte had revealed that US President Donald Trump had requested him to contact Xi and ask for China's intervention to stop North Korea from firing ballistic missiles.
Duterte had said China, an ally of Pyongyang, is the "last card" to ease the tension between US and North Korea. (SunStar Philippines)