Philippines president-elect Duterte hails China's Xi Jinping as "great president"

Incoming Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said he was "honored" to receive a congratulatory message from Chinese President Xi Jinping, calling him a great leader, Philippine media reported on Wednesday.

"I was honored receiving a congratulatory message from a great president," Duterte reportedly made the remarks on Tuesday when speaking with reporters in Davao City after unveiling the members of his cabinet to the media.

In a message to congratulate Rodrigo Duterte on being elected Philippine president, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that China and the Philippines sees a long history of friendly exchanges and deep traditional friendship between the two peoples.

"A friendly, stable and sound China-Philippines relationship is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples," Xi said, adding that he hoped the two sides would work together to get bilateral relations back on the track of sound development.

A joint session of the Philippine Congress on Monday proclaimed Duterte as the new Philippine president, over 20 days after the May 9 elections.

Duterte, 71, will take over from Benigno Aquino on June 30 as the country's 16th president.

At the news conference in Davao City on Tuesday, Duterte bared his administration's plan to chart an independent relationship with the United States.

Philippines incoming foreign minister Perfecto Yasay has said that bilateral talks between the Philippines and China could help untangle the disputes in the South China Sea.

"The Duterte administration is bent on dealing with China through peaceful dialogue," he said.

"There is no other way but to go bilateral." Endit