President Rodrigo Duterte assured that Philippines is “one with every responsible member of the international community in building a future that would be the envy of history – one that promotes global cooperation yet upholds and respects national sovereignty; where national honor is married with the interest of humanity; and where the great challenges that transcend national borders are collectively addressed.”
In his speech during the High Level Meeting Session I of the Belt and Road forum in Beijing, China, Duterte said that the Belt and Road program is an opportunity to redefine international cooperation which is the key to sustained growth.
According to Duterte, development assistance must be used as a genuine tool to bring about positive change in the lives of our peoples and it must be a purposive decision of partner-states, taking into account mutual respect and mutual interests.
The president asserted that development assistance should build on capacities of nations and it should never foster dependence.
“It should be based on reciprocal benefits, motivated by keen interest in partner states to bring about real progress. This should be the new normal. And it is in our interest to work together to make this a reality,” Duterte said.
