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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
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China has offered to provide $14 million worth of small arms and fast boats to the Philippines for free, aiding President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs and fighting terrorism, Manila’s defence minister said on Tuesday.
The offer was made by China’s ambassador Zhao Jianhua during a meeting with Duterte late on Monday night at the presidential palace, Delfin Lorenzana said, adding Beijing has also made available $500 million long-term soft loan for other equipment.
It comes after Duterte said earlier this month that he has decided to accept an arms deal being offered by China under concessional terms, in the latest sign of cosying relations between the once-hostile neighbours.
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“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.
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“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.”
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