In his first year in office, President Duterte made seven international trips to eleven different countries. The following were the international trips made by him as president in 2016:
Laos and Indonesia (September 5–9) heads of government, holding hands as a symbol of unity, at the
ASEAN Summit in
Vientiane, September 7, 2016 Duterte's first international trip as president was in
Vientiane, Laos. He attended the 28th and 29th
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits and the
Eleventh East Asia Summit. On September 5, after arriving in Vientiane, Duterte met with the Filipino community in Laos. In his remarks, he assured them of his administration's pursuit of a "clean government" that would address
crime and
corruption, and explained
their campaign against illegal drugs. On the sidelines of the summits, Duterte held separate bilateral meetings with six
heads of government:
Shinzō Abe of Japan,
John Key of New Zealand,
Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore,
Dmitry Medvedev of Russia,
Nguyễn Xuân Phúc of Vietnam, and
Thongloun Sisoulith of Laos. Duterte also paid a courtesy call on
Laotian president Bounnhang Vorachith at the
Presidential Palace in Vientiane. President Duterte initially planned to meet with United States President
Barack Obama during the sidelines of the summit; however, Duterte's remarks at
Davao Airport before departing for Laos criticized Obama and the U.S. for planning to discuss the drug war and the
human rights situation in the Philippines, prompting the
White House to cancel the meeting instead. When asked about the cancellation of the meeting, Obama's deputy national security advisor,
Ben Rhodes, said: "Having a meeting where all we were gonna discuss was a series of comments, frankly did not strike us as the most constructive way to approach a bilateral meeting." Duterte and Obama later met informally before attending a gala dinner. On September 7, Duterte skipped the ASEAN–United Nations Summit in order to meet with President Vorachith, and was replaced by
Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. to represent the Philippines in the summit. The following day, Duterte also skipped the ASEAN–India and the ASEAN–United States summits, citing a
migraine, and was replaced by Yasay again in both meetings. Duterte later admitted to intentionally skipping the said meetings, saying that it was "a matter of principle" for him. Duterte, however, attended the closing ceremony of the ASEAN Summits to formally accept the Philippines' chairmanship of
ASEAN in 2017, the 50th anniversary of the regional bloc. In his acceptance speech, Duterte said: Following his attendance at the ASEAN and East Asia summits in Vientiane, President Duterte travelled to
Jakarta, Indonesia for his first
state visit as president, arriving on the evening of September 8. He began his trip on September 9 when he met with the
Filipino community in Indonesia and addressed them on his campaign against illegal drugs and crime that would assure safety in the Philippines in "maybe two years". Duterte also laid a wreath at the
Kalibata Heroes' Cemetery and visited the
Tanah Abang market in
Central Jakarta with
Indonesian president Joko Widodo on a
blusukan (impromptu visit), Widodo's preferred method of allowing his visitors to interact with the locals. The two presidents began their formal meeting at the
Merdeka Palace later that afternoon, where Duterte was first given arrival honors. President Duterte and Indonesian president Widodo discussed the threat of the
Abu Sayyaf, following
the kidnappings of Filipino, Indonesian and Malaysian sailors earlier in the year where ten Indonesians are currently under captive by the militant group; these discussions also included
maritime security in the
Sulu Sea on the threat of
piracy, to which the two presidents signed an agreement allowing
Indonesian,
Malaysian, and
Philippine coast guards to jointly patrol the sea and arrest pirates that would pose threats to their respective
territorial waters. With regards to the
territorial disputes in the South China Sea to which Indonesia and the Philippines are claimants of, Duterte and Widodo both called for the respect for the
rule of law in the disputed territories. The issue of around 700 Indonesian pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia for the
Hajj using forged
Philippine passports was discussed by the two presidents; Widodo thanked the Philippine government for their cooperation in resolving the issue. Duterte and Widodo also vowed for closer economic cooperation and vowed to combat
illegal drug trade and terrorism.
Antara and
The Jakarta Post initially reported that Duterte informed Widodo that he is allowing for the
execution of convicted Filipino drug mule
Mary Jane Veloso, who was granted a last-minute temporary reprieve in April 2015; however, presidential spokesman
Ernesto Abella and Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. clarified that Duterte only stated his willingness to respect
Indonesian Criminal Procedure and accept any decision made by the Indonesian government regarding her case. Widodo hosted a
state dinner for Duterte at the palace that evening. Duterte later departed Jakarta for his hometown,
Davao City, arriving there on the early hours of September 10.
Vietnam (September 28–29) in front of a statue of
Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi, September 29, 2016 President Duterte travelled to
Hanoi, Vietnam for a two-day official visit that coincides with the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of
diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Vietnam. On September 28, he met with the Filipino community in Vietnam, who supported his campaign against illegal drugs, at Intercontinental Hanoi Westlake. On September 29, Duterte laid a wreath at the
Vietnam War Memorial and met with
Vietnamese president Trần Đại Quang at the
Presidential Palace, where he was accorded honors and an official welcome. Being claimants of disputed territories in the
South China Sea, Duterte and Quang reaffirmed their commitment to adhere to the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in maintaining peace and stability and observing
freedom of navigation and the rule of law as their countries work towards a peaceful resolution with other claimants. Vietnam supported
the Philippines' arbitration case against China at the
Permanent Court of Arbitration regarding the territorial disputes, which the Philippines won in July. To improve trade relations between the two countries, Duterte invited Vietnamese businesses to invest in the Philippines and to consider importing more Philippine products into Vietnam. During their meeting, the Philippine and Vietnamese governments agreed to a six-year
action plan focused on combating
transnational crime and illegal drug trade, in which the two governments are committed to intensifying defense and law enforcement cooperation by sharing expertise, experience, and intelligence information. Duterte also met with Vietnamese prime minister
Nguyễn Xuân Phúc and
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyễn Phú Trọng. A state dinner was held in honor of Duterte at the
Vietnam National Convention Center. Duterte departed Hanoi for Davao City on the evening of September 29.
Brunei and China (October 16–21) prior to the bilateral meetings at the
Great Hall of the People in
Beijing on October 20, 2016 President Duterte paid a state visit to
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei on October 16–18 to meet with Sultan
Hassanal Bolkiah and the
Overseas Filipinos there. Duterte initially planned to visit Brunei in September as his first international trip as president, but was prompted to postpone it due to the
Davao City bombing. The Sultan welcomed Duterte at the
Nurul Iman Palace, where they discussed the strengthening of
Brunei–Philippines relations and
BIMP-EAGA through trade and investment. The two leaders also discussed Brunei's cooperation and support for the
Bangsamoro peace process, as well as the strengthening of
Halal product certification in the Philippines to improve the country's
agribusiness and
tourism. shake handsOn October 18–21, President Duterte travelled to Beijing, China on a state visit to meet with Chinese president
Xi Jinping and
Chinese premier Li Keqiang to discuss ways on improving ties and cooperation amid regional issues, specifically the
territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The two governments reiterated their agreement to properly resolve the disputes through bilateral discussion. Around 400 Filipino business executives joined Duterte in his delegation to discuss deals with Chinese business executives and government officials in the sectors of agribusiness, construction, energy, manufacturing, rail transport, and tourism. The
U.S. Department of State reacted to Duterte's rhetoric citing that it is causing confusion and consternation but reiterated the strong
Philippines–United States relations. Duterte later departed Beijing for Davao City on the evening of October 22 with investments and loans worth of $24 billion.
Japan (October 25–27) On the evening of October 25, 2016, President Duterte arrived at
Haneda Airport for a three-day official visit to Tokyo to discuss "economic and defense concerns" with the Japanese government and business executives. Duterte's trip to Japan follows his trip to Beijing, where he announced a military and economic "separation" from the United States, which caused confusion within U.S., Filipino, and Japanese officials. During a speech addressing Filipino and Japanese businessmen at the
Palace Hotel, Tokyo, Duterte assured them that his visit to Beijing focused on economic relations and had no intentions of forging a
military alliance with China. He also expressed confidence that more Japanese businesses will continue to invest in the Philippines as the Philippine government continues to implement policies to ensure macroeconomic stability and improve the country's "
ease of doing business", emphasizing the importance of their economic relations as a priority for the Philippines. and members of the Philippine delegation during the latter's visit at the
Prime Minister's Official Residence in
Tokyo, October 2016 On October 26, President Duterte met with Japanese prime minister
Shinzō Abe at the
Prime Minister's Official Residence, where the two leaders issued a joint statement; in it, they reaffirmed their commitment to promote and enhance the
strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines under common values of "freedom, democracy, the rule of law, respect for basic human rights, and a
free and
open economy" in strengthening bilateral cooperation to maintain regional peace, stability, and prosperity. Duterte expressed his appreciation for Japan's cooperation with the Philippines through
training and development,
capacity building, and Japan's provision of equipment for the
Armed Forces of the Philippines, which included ten
patrol boats, five
Beechcraft TC-90 trainer aircraft from the
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and
high-speed crafts to enhance the country's
maritime security and
counter-terrorism capabilities. Being claimants of disputed territories in the South China and
East China seas respectively, Duterte and Abe stressed the importance of observing freedom of navigation and overflight and adhering to the rule of law when resolving the disputes with other claimants, in accordance with the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. On October 27, President Duterte visited the headquarters of the
Japan Coast Guard in
Yokohama, where he viewed the coast guard's demonstration activities; there, he also expressed a possibility for joint
military exercises with Japan instead of the U.S., to whom he reiterated his "separation" with and said that their joint
Balikatan military exercises this year would be "their last" in pursuit of his administration's "independent foreign policy". Duterte initially planned to conclude his trip with a courtesy call on
Emperor Akihito and
Empress Michiko at the
Tokyo Imperial Palace but had to cancel it following the announcement of the death of
Takahito, Prince Mikasa. Duterte departed Tokyo later that day with investment offers and loans totalling $19 billion for infrastructure, agricultural development, defense, and employment.
Thailand and Malaysia (November 9–10) On November 9, President Duterte travelled to
Bangkok, Thailand to pay his respects to the late King
Bhumibol Adulyadej at the
Grand Palace. He later travelled to
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a two-day official visit to meet with Malaysian prime minister
Najib Razak to discuss
piracy in the Strait of Malacca, and possible joint military and police operations with Malaysia to quell
piracy in the Sulu Sea and Abu Sayyaf militant kidnappings activities. During his visit there, Duterte agreed to set aside the
Sabah dispute to focus on the social welfare of Filipino migrants and expatriates in the state with the signing of various agreements with his Malaysian counterpart such as the establishment of Filipino school, hospital and a consulate in Sabah, while those problematic Filipino illegal immigrants and refugees will be return to the Philippines. In addition, the Philippine government allow Malaysia to chase Abu Sayyaf kidnappers and Moro pirates into the Philippines waters and economic agreements on the
halal sector as well
palm oil and rubber investment in
Mindanao and
Palawan and a joint-venture in the construction of a rail line in Manila were materialized. Duterte also met with the
Filipino community in Malaysia, where he reiterated his pledge to fight corruption, criminality, and illegal drugs.
Peru (November 18–20) upon his arrival at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit in Lima, Peru on November 19, 2016 President Duterte attended the
APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima on November 19–20, which was hosted by President
Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. En route to and from Lima, his aircraft made technical stopovers in
Auckland, New Zealand. On the sidelines of the meeting, President Duterte held bilateral meetings with Chinese president
Xi Jinping and
Russian president Vladimir Putin. Duterte met with Xi to discuss the alignment of the former's foreign policy towards
Asian economic development, to follow up on the
memorandum of understandings signed during the former's state visit to Beijing in October, and to discuss
the permission of Filipino fisherman to enter the disputed
Scarborough Shoal. Duterte met with Putin to discuss the development of
Philippines–Russia relations. Duterte also praised Putin's leadership skills, calling him his "idol", and the latter invited the former to visit Russia. Duterte skipped the APEC gala dinner and the shoot of the APEC leaders’ family photo to avoid interacting with U.S. president
Barack Obama. Former Philippine president
Fidel Ramos criticized Duterte's actions, saying that while Duterte and his Cabinet may have thought that the two events are negligible, it could have disappointed the host country. "Peru President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski must be very disappointed," Ramos said. He said the gala night could have been an opportunity for Duterte to exchange ideas with world leaders and sickness is an unacceptable alibi to skip such an important gathering.
Cambodia and Singapore (December 13–16) Norodom Sihamoni on a welcome ceremony at the
Royal Palace, Phnom Penh, December 14, 2016 President Duterte travelled to
Phnom Penh, Cambodia on December 13–14 for a two-day state visit to meet with Cambodian prime minister
Hun Sen and
King Norodom Sihamoni. His trip to Cambodia was initially planned to be a working visit upon the request of the Philippine government, but was later upgraded to a state visit by the Cambodian government. Duterte was accorded arrival honors at the
Royal Palace, where he was received by King Sihamoni for a bilateral meeting. Duterte then met with Prime Minister Hun Sen at the
Peace Palace, where they witnessed the signing of deals on cooperation in trade, sports, tourism, and combating transnational crime. Duterte also visited the
Independence Monument and paid his respects to the late King
Norodom Sihanouk by laying a wreath at his memorial. Before departing Cambodia, King Sihamoni hosted a state dinner for Duterte at the Royal Palace. Duterte then travelled to Singapore on the evening of December 14 for a three-day state visit. On December 15, he met with Singaporean president
Tony Tan and Prime Minister
Lee Hsien Loong at the
Istana, where he was accorded arrival honors by the
Singapore Armed Forces. Duterte held separate meetings with Tan and Lee at the palace to discuss areas of bilateral cooperation to pursue, primarily with regards to counter-terrorism and combating illegal drug trade and transnational crime. They vowed to push for a safer
ASEAN community. The meetings were followed by a state dinner hosted by President Tan. On December 16, Lee treated Duterte to a
nasi lemak lunch at
Ann Siang Hill. Duterte also visited the
Singapore Botanic Gardens, where a
dendrobium orchid was named after him. Before departing Singapore, Duterte addressed the
Filipino community in Singapore at the
Singapore Expo, where he thanked them for contributing to the Philippine economy and told them to be "assertive of their rights." ==2017==