Chinese President Xi Jinping. Reuters/File
MANILA - Around 5,000 policemen have been tasked to secure the Philippine visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, the Manila police chief said Saturday.
Manila Police District director Senior Supt. Vicente Danao said his whole unit is already under heightened alert for the Chinese leader's upcoming visit.
"We are preparing at least 4,000 to 5,000 personnel along the route [of Xi Jinping]," Danao told ABS-CBN News Saturday.
Danao added that police would implement a lockdown in areas where Xi will pass through.
Malacañang earlier confirmed that Xi would be in the Philippines for a state visit from Nov. 20 to 21.
Xi's visit to Manila will be the first state visit of a Chinese president in 13 years after the 2005 visit of Hu Jintao, happening amid improving ties between Manila and Beijing.
Xi made his last visit to the Philippines in November 2015 to attend a world leaders' meeting. The Philippine president at the time was Benigno Aquino III, who hailed China to a United Nations-backed arbitral tribunal over the South China Sea dispute and won.
- report from Henry Atuelan, ABS-CBN News
Xi Jinping, China, state visit, Xi state visit, PNP, Philippine National Police, cops