MANILA - Presidential contender Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the Chinese embassy and had a talk with Beijing's top envoy to Manila.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian showed pictures of Marcos attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Chinese embassy's new photo wall, saying the former senator's attendance was a "great honor."

"Hanging on the wall are photographs recording historic moments of China-Philippines relations, one of which on the top has depicted the historic scene of then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and then Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos signing the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between our two counties on June 9, 1975," Huang said.

He said he hopes more people will commit to strengthening the partnership and cooperation between the two countries "so as to bring more benefits to our two peoples and pass on our traditional friendship from generation to generation."

Marcos was with his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos, their son Joseph Simon, and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez during the ceremony.

The late dictator's son, who is running for president in the 2022 elections, earlier said President Rodrigo Duterte was using "the right way" towards Beijing.

He confused however the International Criminal Court and the Permanent Court of Arbitration as he spoke about the 2016 ruling that invalidated China's excessive claims over the South China Sea.

• Marcos backs Duterte policy on China but confuses ICC with arbitral tribunal

Duterte has pursued investments and loans from China and refused to press the economic giant to follow the ruling.

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