China offers $14 million arms package to Philippines for free
Beijing also made available $500 million long-term soft loan for other equipment, Manila says
“China has given us a list of military equipment and we will go through it to find out what we really need,” Lorenzana said after giving out Christmas gifts to wounded soldiers at an army hospital in Manila.
“We might get some small arms, fast boats and night vision goggles because $14.4 million is not that much. We will finalise the deal before the end of the year and a technical working team will soon go there to look at the equipment.”
Lorenzana said they hope to get the Chinese armaments by the second quarter next year.
“The Chinese ambassador last night told the president, I know your problem in drugs so we would like to help you,” he added.
But, Duterte, who came into power on July 1, reversed the country’s foreign policy, distancing from Washington to pivot to Beijing and winning about $24 billion in trade and investment pledges after an October visit to China.
Duterte, 71, has increasingly turned to China for loans and aid as he took exception to United States criticism of his drug war that has killed thousands.
Washington, the former colonial master and security partner, has been providing second-hand weapon systems to the Manila for nearly two decades since the return of US forces for training and exercises.
From 2002, the United States has provided nearly $800 million worth of second-hand small arms, ships and helicopters, and radios, armour vests, night fighting equipment and coastal radars. Last year, Manila got its biggest military aid at $82 million.
Additional reporting by Associated Press