MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte will advance the Philippines' development interests when he attends China's "Belt and Road" forum next week, Philippine Ambassador to China Chito Sta. Romana said Thursday.

In an interview on ANC, Sta. Romana said the ambitous "Belt and Road" forum in Beijing aims to interconnect countries in different parts of Asia.

"The Chinese, with their $3 trillion foreign exchange reserve, are trying to deploy their resources to promote infrastructure linking up mainland Asia with Europe and maritime Southeast Asia," he told ANC.

"We're interested in the areas of convergence in the administration's socio-economic agenda and the ASEAN interconnectivity masterplan... where it converges with the belt and road initiative, especially in infrastructure," he added.

Sta. Romana also said the government wants to make sure the consensus that will be made in the forum through a joint communiqué will not be in conflict with the Philippines' interests.

The joint communiqué, he said, will be released on Monday when the forum ends.

"There are areas of contention. And on the part of the Philippines, we want to make sure that it is not in conflict with any of our economic and national interests," he said.

The president will be in China on May 14 to 15 to take part in the forum, one of the biggest diplomatic events this year, according to Sta. Romana.

Duterte, among 28 heads of state expected at the forum, will attend the event just as his administration pursues an ambitious P8-trillion infrastructure development plan.

The president is currently in Cambodia, expected to present his program before international investors at the World Economic Forum.

Duterte's visit to China also comes as he pushes for stronger economic ties between Manila and Beijing, setting aside unresolved disputes over the South China Sea.