About 250 Philippine business executives will visit Beijing with President Rodrigo Duterte next week as seeks a new partnership with China at a time when tensions between Manila and its traditional ally, the United States, are mounting. In doing so, he will set aside years of hostility between Beijing and Manila.
There has been no announcement about the delegation, but business groups and government officials said registration to join Duterte on his Oct. 18-21 visit had been oversubscribed. Filipino executives are eager to talk with Chinese business leaders and government officials about deals in a range of sectors, from rail and construction to tourism, agribusiness, power and manufacturing, the sources said.
Initially only about two dozen Philippine entrepreneurs were to accompany Duterte, but the number ballooned to about 250, Trade Undersecretary Nora Terrado said.