President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday vowed to talk to US President Donald Trump in the "most righteous way" during the possible bilateral meeting between the two leaders in November.
"I would deal with US President Trump in the most righteous way, welcome him as an important leader. As a matter of fact, the most important leader on this side of the planet and I would have to listen to him, what he has to say," Duterte told reporters before leaving for Japan.
"We move our mouths in the same cadence, for example like declaring a national emergency regarding the drug issue," he added.
The Philippines and the US government have been working to set up a bilateral meeting between the two presidents during Trump's visit to the country for the Special Gala Celebration of the 50th anniversary of Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) on November 12 and the ASEAN-US Summit on November 13.
Duterte said he would also tackle with his US counterpart the following issues: terrorism, cooperation between the two countries and fight against illegal drugs.
North Korea
Duterte also pointed out that the most important matter he would discuss with Trump is the issue on North Korea.
"We are worried, all of us... that if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. I'm sure that we can agree," Duterte said.
"Nuclear war is totally unacceptable for anybody. Somebody has to talk to Kim Jong Un.
"All leaders agree that he is a dangerous man. You must remember that he is a leader of his people. Whether or not, whatever he proclaims himself to be, somebody has to talk to him. It would be good if America, Japan and Korea and Mr. Kim Jong Un to talk... to convince him to sit down in a round table," Duterte said.
Duterte said China has the capacity to calm Kim Jong Un.
"Just to assure him that nobody is after you," Duterte added. "Nobody is talking to him, I don't know about China... but the one single country that can calm him down, China."
Duterte has been very vocal against the North Korean leader and his tendencies to trigger a nuclear war among other nations. — BM, GMA News
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