President Duterte is scheduled to have at least nine bilateral meetings, apart from his talks with United States (US) President Barack Obama, on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Laos next week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday. In the Laos meeting, Southeast Asian countries and China will establish hotlines and adapt communications protocols to avoid potential naval clashes in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, the DFA said.

Mabasa, R. (2016, September 3). Duterte OK's 9 bilateral talks. Manila Bulletin, pp. 1, 6.