By  Hannah Torregoza Senators on Monday expressed hope that President Rodrigo Duterte would discuss with Chinese President Xi Jinping greater economic cooperation as well as the country’s problems on illegal drugs entering the Philippines when Xi visits the country this week. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (left) and China President Xi Jinping (Malacañang Photo | Manila Bulletin) Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said freedom of navigation in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) should be the Philippines’ main thrust during the PH-China bilateral talks. “I hope magkaroon ng linaw yung issue ng freedom of navigation because it causes instability. That would also affect our business climate kasi tayo ang pinaka apektado dahil yung area na atin pong kine-claim ay kinuha na ng China. (I hope the issue on freedom of navigation would finally be cleared because it causes instability. That would also affect our business climate, because we are the ones to be directly affected because the area we are claiming as ours has already been taken by China),” Ejercito said. Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara agreed saying he hopes a fruitful discussion on economic relations with China would materialize during the bilateral talks between the two leaders. “Any possible partnership with respect to WPS since relations seem to be going well the past few years and also the fast-tracking of infrastructure projects all over the country,” Angara said. “These would be among the most pressing and possibly fruitful discussions they could have,” he added. At the same time, Ejercito said the government should ensure that there would be “no strings attached” to the major infrastructure projects that China would be funding. “They want to do a lot of our big projects but our worry is there are strings attached. So they also have to clarify,” Ejercito said. “I hope their Official Development Assistance (ODAs) is as friendly as Japan because many are worried, like me, who is pushing for infrastructure projects and transportation modernization. With Japan, you can clearly see they offer a friendly package, I hope China’s side—they have to be friendly also. Sana no strings attached,” said Ejercito. Ejercito also hoped the President would ask the Chinese leader to help the Philippines address the source of illegal drugs. He noted that most of the illegal drug shipment that are entering the Philippine ports come from mainland China and most of the drug syndicates are mainland Chinese. “I really hope he would take this up because three years on the war against drugs, it’s still there. So we really have to address the source. I really think that is the real problem, the source of drugs,” he said. “I don’t believe that China has no power to stop it. China pa? Talagang ito, pag may inutos sila talagang sinusunod. (When the government orders about something they all follow). If they are really friends, they should help us already cut the source,” he pointed out. Sen. Joel Villanueva agreed with Ejercito saying the government should discuss with China how to reduce the flow of illegal drugs from their side. “We should discuss how we can cooperate to reduce the flow of illegal drugs coming from China,” Villanueva said. “This should be a major component of the President’s war on drugs, stemming the supply,” he stressed, adding that he also hopes the President would tackle investments and job opportunities with the Chinese leader.