With hopes to "rekindle" ties between the Philippines and China ,
former President Fidel V. Ramos is slated to fly to Hong Kong Monday at 2:35
p.m. to begin his task as special Philippine envoy to China
Ramos said that he will not be going to Hong
Kong to negotiate with Chinese officials on the maritime
territorial dispute but rather engage in friendly relations and "play
golf" with them.
"Please do not make any mistake. I am not going there
to negotiate. That belongs to the officials," Ramos told media in a press
conference at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 before
his departure.
Ramos said that he had no authority to negotiate but
expected that the formal phase of bilateral talks will take place "in the
near future" between Philippine and Chinese officials.
The former President also stressed that President Rodrigo
Duterte did not give him any formal instructions.
"He (Duterte) is busy giving instructions to everybody
so he had a short time for us but considers it very important."
"What he really said (to me) was to 'please renew our
friendship with your friends from China
Ramos, who finished his presidential term in 1996, said that
he was merely happy to help Pres. Duterte who appointed him as special envoy.
"I am just the icebreaker to warm up again, our good,
friendly, neighborly relations with China
Ramos meanwhile said that he will be bringing books as gifts
to his Chinese friends who he did not name.
Ramos will be accompanied by former First Lady Amelita
"Ming" Ramos, former Interior and Local Government Secretary Rafael
Alunan III, veteran journalist Jose Santiago "Chito" Sta. Romana and
Ramos' grandson, Sam Jones, who serves as trustee of the Ramos Peace and
Development Foundation.
The 88-year-old former president said that despite having a
pacemaker attached since October 2015, he is still in good health and can still
play a full round of golf.
He will stay in Hong Kong
for five days and will be flying via Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight PR 306.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=911620
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