MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has expressed solidarity and support for the people of China amid the spread of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The meeting of the top diplomats was held on the eve of the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers Meeting on governments’ responses to the coronavirus. The Philippines also expressed its gratitude to China for its assistance in the repatriation of Filipino nationals from Hubei on Feb. 8. Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian earlier warned the Philippines of the negative impact on the economy of the extended travel ban imposed on China. The Philippines on Feb. 2 banned all travel to and from China and its two administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau, as precaution against COVID-19.

Source: Philippine Star February 21, 2020 16:34 UTC