No meeting arranged between Aquino and Chinese prexy so far

President Benigno Aquino III. FILE PHOTO

RUSSKIY, Vladivostok, Russia—President Benigno Aquino III will have four bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders Summitt from September 8 to 9 in this former Russina naval fortress but none of them will be with China’s head of state.

This was revealed by Assistant Foreign Secretary Cecile Rebong in a message to reporters covering the Apec summit.

As of Thursday morning, Rebong confirmed that Mr. Aquino has scheduled meetings on Saturday with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (9:20 to 9:45 a.m. local) and Chilean President Sebastian Pinera Echenique (10:15-10:40 a.m. local). He is scheduled to meet on Sunday with Malaysian Prime Minister Dato Sri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Abdul Razak (9:40-10:05 a.m. local) and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang (10:15-10:40 a.m.).

Rebong did not explain why no meeting between Mr Aquino and Chinese President Hu Jintao had been arranged so far since, as Foreign Undersecretary Laura Q. del Rosario said Thursday, both sides had made a “mutual request” for such a meeting.

Hu arrived on Russkiy Island at 11 p.m. Thursday while President Aquino was expected to arrive at 9 p.m. Friday with a 66-member delegation consisting mostly of businessmen.

Philippine Ambassador to Moscow Alejandro Mosquera said he was not giving up yet on an Aquino-Hu meeting.

“I think they’re still working on it. As I said, they are still working on other bilateral meetings. So at this point…we cannot say whether it will be dropped or not. But, I think, they’re still working and anticipating.”

Mosquera also could not say if the meetings being worked included one with Taiwanese President Ma Ying-Jeou. “I have no information on that at this time,” he said.

Cabinet members joining the President in Apec meetings are Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, incoming Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, and Energy Secretary Rene Almendras.