Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the objectives were of the meeting he held with President Duterte on 3 April 2017.

The UK has a wide-ranging relationship with the Philippines on prosperity, education and security issues. Our bilateral trading relationship is strong; we are the largest European investor in the country. As we leave the European Union we have the opportunity to enhance our global trading relationships. My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State’s visit to the Philippines and meeting with President Duterte was to set out the future direction of our bilateral relationship and show UK commitment to open trade and investment, particularly with the growing economies of Southeast Asia.