
Trump invites Duterte to visit US next year
http://www.manilatimes.net/trump-invite ... ar/299746/
US President-elect Donald Trump has invited President Rodrigo Duterte to the White House next year.
The announcement was made by Duterte’s special assistant, Christopher “Bong” Go, following a phone conversation Friday night between the two leaders.
Duterte, in return, invited Trump to visit the Philippines next year to attend the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The Philippine president phoned Trump to congratulate the Republican billionaire for winning the US presidential election over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
Duterte’s cordial demeanor toward Trump was in contrast with his expletive-laden tirades toward outgoing US President Barack Obama, who had criticized the Philippines’ bloody war on drugs.
The phone call came a day after the arrival of the new US ambassador to Manila, Korean-American diplomat Sung Kim, who said he was excited to improve ties between the two historical allies.
Last month, Duterte indicated he might stop quarreling with the US following the election of Trump. “I said, I don’t want to quarrel now that Trump is there. But I would like to congratulate President Trump. Mabuhay ka [Long live]!” the President said in remarks before members of the Filipino community in Kuala Lumpur where he was on an official visit.