President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte is due to arrive in China for his first state visit to the country on Tuesday night. The Foreign Ministry says China has high hopes for the visit, adding that talks with Duterte are expected to improve bilateral relations.

"We hope and believe that the visit can put relations back on track to healthy and stable development. We believe this kind of relationship is beneficial to the interests of our two countries, and is also good for regional peace and stability," said Hua Chunying, spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that the friendship between China and the Philippines goes back many years. Wang pointed out that President Duterte had chosen to rebuild the friendship with China and return to dialogue - in line with the wishes of the Philippine people and the national interest. He also said that the visit signals a new beginning for bilateral relations and that China is ready to deepen cooperation with the Philippines.