APD | President Duterte invited to attend the US-ASEAN Summit

By APD writer Melo M. Acuña

**MANILA – **President Rodrigo Duterte has been requested to visit the United States to attend a summit between the United States and the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

In a statement released by the Presidential Communications Operations Office, it was learned the invitation was extended by US President Donald Trump to his Philippine counterpart and other nine leaders of the sub-regional bloc.

The meeting has been scheduled on March 14,2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The invitation was first mentioned during the ASEAN-US meeting at the ASEAN Summit and related summits in Bangkok last November.

The United States reiterated its invitation through a letter dated January 9,2020.

The Malacanang statement said President Duterte has been repeatedly invited by President Trump to visit the US including the White House.

“The long-standing invitation has been made since April 2017,” the statement added. The meeting between Presidents Duterte and Trump is expected to further strengthen the longstanding alliance between the Philippines and the United States of America.

There has been no report if President Duterte has already accepted the invitation.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)