Bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are on top of President Rodrigo Duterte’s schedule on Saturday at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in Lima, Peru.

In a schedule sent by Malacanang, Duterte will meet Xi first at 11 am (Peru time). Forty-five minutes later, Duterte will meet Putin. APEC activities begin in the afternoon, capped by a gala dinner hosted by Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski for all the leaders in the evening.

Duterte’s bilateral meeting with Xi is the second since the Philippine leader’s official visit to China last October 18 to 21. Aside from the various pledges of investments by China to the Philippines, both countries agreed to discuss the South China Sea issue in a peaceful manner.

Shortly after Duterte's visit to China, Filipinos were allowed to fish at the Scarborough Shoal, which Chinese ships have occupied since 2012.

In his meeting with Putin, Duterte is expected to discuss areas of possible cooperation with the Russian leader. Duterte had broached the idea of buying arms and other defense equipment from Russia. DMS