MANILA: Malacañang yesterday neither confirmed nor denied reports that President Benigno Aquino III would attend an event in China on September 3.
At a televised press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Philippines would host the 10th Asean-China Expo and a local delegation would be sent. But he could not say if the President would go.
“We’ll wait for the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) to confirm. We haven’t received any word from them yet,” said Lacierda at a televised press briefing.
Yesterday, a Vera Files report cited Palace and DFA sources saying that Aquino is going to China, a move seen to ease territorial dispute with the Asian giant which is pressing its sovereignty over the entire West Philippine Sea.
Lacierda said whether or not the president attends the event, the main purpose of his visit would be to strengthen economic relations with China and not to ease tensions over the territorial dispute.
The Philippine star
