A Palace official confirmed that the meeting of President Rodrigo Duterte and China President Xi Jinping next week will be held online.

"Last night President Duterte announced that he has a meeting with China officials, and what we know is it is an online meeting on April 8," Presidential Communications Undersecretary Kristian Ablan said in a briefing on Friday.

Ablan said the meeting between Duterte and Xi was initiated by the Chinese government.

"All right, insofar as we're concerned, this meeting is still in the preparatory stage. So, the issues and the matters that will be discussed will be known in the coming days," he said.

Duterte, in a speech in Lapu-lapu City Thursday, said ''Xi Jinping wants to talk to me. We're friends.''

Duterte announced his meeting with Xi days after the Philippine Coast Guard announced the "close distance maneuvering incident" involving a Chinese Coast Guard vessel in Scarborough Shoal early this month.In his recent interview, National Task Force West Philippine Sea Chairman and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the government has filed a diplomatic protest against China regarding the incident. Robina Asido/ DMS