China denied on Monday that it had received any asylum request from former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte or his family, and Duterte's recent visit to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) was on a private vacation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing in Beijing.
Guo's statement came in response to questions related to Duterte's visit to Hong Kong.
"Regarding Mr. Duterte's visit to Hong Kong, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has already provided a response, and relevant individuals from the Philippines have also made statements. I would like to emphasize that Mr. Duterte's visit to Hong Kong is a private vacation. China has never received any request for asylum from former President Duterte or his family. As for certain so-called 'informed sources' spreading unfounded or deliberately misleading claims, we urge friends from the media to carefully verify the facts and make sure not to be misled," Guo told the press briefing.
On March 10, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office in Hong Kong released a statement confirming that Duterte's visit, along with his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, was a private vacation. The office also stated that rallies organized by Philippine citizens in Hong Kong were pre-approved in accordance with the SAR's laws and regulations.
China denies receiving asylum request from former Philippine president
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Wednesday in Beijing with Nauruan Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Lionel Aingimea, who came to China for the opening ceremony of the Nauru Embassy in China.
Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that since the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Nauru, both sides have fostered mutual understanding and support, while the pragmatic cooperation has developed comprehensively, bringing tangible benefits to the people of Nauru.
China appreciates Nauru's firm adherence to the one-China policy and believes that Nauru will continue to support China in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, thus consolidating the political foundation of bilateral relations, Wang said.
China is willing to deepen cooperation with Nauru in various fields including agriculture and fisheries, sports, marine development, climate change response, and capacity building, Wang said, adding that China congratulates Nauru on the upcoming official opening of its embassy in China and is willing to provide conveniences and assistance for the embassy's operation.
Aingimea, for his part, said that Nauru sincerely thanks China for the valuable assistance provided in infrastructure construction and socio-economic development, which helps improve people's livelihood and sustainable development of Nauru.
Nauru will not waver in its stance of adhering to the one-China principle and looks forward to expanding bilateral cooperation in various fields and pushing bilateral relations to a new level, Aingimea added.
Chinese FM meets Nauruan counterpart
