BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping has congratulated Rodrigo Duterte on his inauguration as president of the Philippines.
Xi sent a message through diplomatic channels to Duterte, who was sworn in as the 16th president of the Philippines on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said at Thursday's daily press conference.
According to Hong, Xi said the good-neighborly relationship between China and the Philippines had lasted around 1,000 years, and was the right direction for the two countries to progress.
Xi said he was willing to make joint efforts with Duterte to promote the improvement of the bilateral relationship and realize its sound and stable development. Xi believes that as long as sincerity and goodwill are upheld, and mutual trust and cooperation maintained the future will be good, according to Hong.
