The inauguration of new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appears to be a signal for the country and China to have closer ties as the new leader took his oath of office on June 30.
On the last day of June, the tough-talking new president of the Philippines, who was repeatedly likened to Donald Trump, has officially begun his duties and quest to fulfill the promises he made during his campaign trail.
On that significant day, NBC News recalled a statement from Duterte regarding the Philippines' ties with China ahead of the international tribunal ruling on the maritime grapple in the South China Sea.
"I want everybody to know that we will be charting a course of our own. [The Philippines] will not be dependent on America. And it will be a line that is not intended to please anybody but the Filipino interests," he said on May 31.
More recently, Duterte admitted that he does not plan to deter the betterment of the relations between the two nations by flaunting the incoming international ruling.
"We have a cliffhanger because, if we decide right, we might also find some alleviation for some of the problems here," he told Rappler. "But if we overdo it, it should be a soft landing for everybody, that if it is there, we do not really taunt or flaunt it. We'll have a soft landing there."
The 71-year-old president also said that he does not wish "to declare any fighting with anybody" and prefers talks to settle any disputes.
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to Duterte where he reminded the newly inaugurated leader of the millennium-long friendship between China and the Philippines, per a report from the Philippine newspaper Inquirer.