US President Donald Trump invited President Rodrigo Duterte and 11 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) leaders to a US Summit to be held in Las Vegas in March 2020.
The Palace said, “The invitation was first conveyed during the Asean-US meeting at the ASEAN Summit and related summits in Bangkok last November. The United States then reiterated its invitation through a letter dated Jan. 9, 2020.”
The Malacañang Palace also released a copy of Trump’s invitation letter to the ASEAN leaders dated November 1. It was given during last year’s ASEAN summit in Bangkok.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to offer an invitation to the leaders of Asean to join me in the United States for a special summit meeting at a time of mutual convenience in the first quarter of 2020,” the letter read.
“This will provide excellent opportunity for us to broaden and deepen our cooperation on matters of great importance to the nearly one billion people in the United States and Asean nations that we have the privilege to represent. The American people and I hope to see you in the United States soon,” Trump added.
Trump invites Duterte, Asean leaders in US Summit
The Palace said, “the meeting between Duterte and Trump is expected to reaffirm the long-standing alliance between the Philippines and the United States.
Trump first invited Duterte to visit the United States in April 2017. However, the Palace spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte would formally decline the invitation, following the US passage of its 2020 budget that includes a provision banning Filipino officials involved in De Lima’s detention.
In return, Duterte banned the three US senators who wrote the provision from entering the Philippines.
He also wanted to implement a visa requirement on American citizens should the United States prevent any Filipino official connected with De Lima’s detention from entering the US.
