President U Htin Kyaw welcomes Philippine President Mr. Rodrigo Duterte

March 20, 2017

President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar U Htin Kyaw and President of the Philippines Mr. Rodrigo Duterte attended a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

The ceremony began with the two leaders receiving a salute from the Guard of Honour. President U Htin Kyaw then introduced his entourage to the Philippine President, who later introduced his delegation to the President. After signing the guestbook of the Presidential Palace, the President of the Philippines and President U Htin Kyaw held a bilateral meeting in the Credentials Hall of the Presidential Palace.

At the meeting, both sides discussed matters on enhancing bilateral cooperation in the ASEAN Community, promoting the Philippines’ investment in Myanmar, strengthening cooperation in the agricultural sector, providing technical assistance in food manufacturing and the energy production sector and cooperation in the tourism industry.

Present at the meeting were Union Ministers Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe, Lt-Gen Sein Win, Dr Pe Myint, Dr Aung Thu, U Khin Maung Cho and Dr Than Myint, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs U Kyaw Tin, Deputy Minister U Min Thu, Myanmar Ambassador to the Philippines U Win Naing and officials. The visiting President of the Philippines was accompanied by the Philippine Ambassador to Myanmar Mr. Alex G. Chua.

A ceremony in which a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed followed. Union Minister Dr Aung Thu and Secretary of the Department Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines Mr. Emmanuel F. Pinol signed an MoU on Food Security and Agricultural Cooperation between Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and the Department of Agriculture of the Philippines in the presence of President U Htin Kyaw and the Philippines President Mr. Rodrigo Duterte.

In the evening, President U Htin Kyaw and First Lady Daw Su Su Lwin hosted a dinner in honour of the delegation led by the Philippine President Mr. Rodrigo Duterte. The dinner was also attended by State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Vice Presidents U Myint Swe and U Henry Van Thio, Union Ministers, Deputy Ministers and officials. At the dinner, President U Htin Kyaw and the Philippine President Mr. Rodrigo Duterte exchanged brief dinner speeches.
After the dinner, Mr. Rodrigo Duterte and party were entertained with music and dance by artistes from the Fine Arts Department under the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar