PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he was aware of the meeting that transpired between former president Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping and expressed hope his predecessor would help establish a new line of communication for the resolution of outstanding issues between the two countries.

Speaking at the side of the kickoff of the government's Food Stamp Program (FSP) in Tondo, Manila, Marcos insisted that Duterte did not need his permission to go to Beijing as the meeting is 'between friends,' but would welcome any input from the former leader in the coming days.