MANILA, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte left on Sunday for a week-long official visits to Israel and Jordan.
Duterte will first visit Israel from Sept. 2 to 5 and then Jordan from Sept. 5 to 8. Duterte is the first Philippine leader to visit Israel since the two countries established ties in 1957.
Duterte is expected to sit down with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel and King Abdullah II in Jordan.
"My schedule will be full. I shall seek to reaffirm the ties between our peoples made more significant by a meaningful shared history," Duterte said in a departure speech at Manila's international airport.
Duterte said he is looking forward to having a "robust relationship" with Israel that aims to broader cooperation on a range of mutually important areas such as defense and security, law enforcement, economic development, labor, trade and investments.
On Sept. 5, Duterte will fly to Jordan -- a first for a Philippine leader.
"Certainly, I look forward to discussing ways of advancing cooperation in the key areas of improving defense and security, sustaining growth, addressing transnational crime, intensifying trade and investments and enhancing labor cooperation," Duterte said.
Duterte added that his "landmark visits" to the two countries in the Middle East underscore the Philippines's vision as "a friend to all and an enemy to no one."
Philippine businessmen accompanied Duterte on this trip to explore the "diverse trade and investment opportunities that make Jordan and Israel more tempting to offer."
"Of course, we will invite their business leaders to look at our own rich market potential," Duterte said.
Duterte also brought with him on this trip Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon and other military and police officers.
Duterte will also meet with the thousands of Filipinos in Israel and Jordan. Israel is home to about 28,000 Filipinos, while Jordan, 48,000.
"With more than two million Filipinos working in that region, I intend to emphasize the great importance that the Philippines attaches to maintaining peace and stability in the region," Duterte said.
