Exclusive - Icy Relations Between PH and China Melts After What Duterte and Chinese's Foreign Minister Did! See The Dramatic Meet-up Here!

Every time we are a meeting with someone, may it be a friend or with your boss, it is important to take note not just the verbal cues also the non-verbal cues.

Just like the saying “action speaks louder than words” leaders take non-verbal cues as very significant.

Duterte’s arrival in China made a historical mark as he was welcomed by China’s foreign minister Wang Yi at the airport. What Wang Yi did is not just a simple welcome but a warm one.

Duterte took the hand that Wang offered. Wang touched the President's lower arm then he returned the compliment with a double handshake. This conveys a message that means “you are trustworthy and honest.” The handshake was firm as it wasn’t released quickly, which is an indication of interest, sincerity, and attention.

They looked solemn as Wang was saying something to Duterte.

After the initial connection, we have also seen various gestures such as Wang gripping the upper arm of Duterte, then he closing his eyes for a moment as if he was looking forward for an intimate connection between them.

For a further understanding of what Wang did, in the Chinese culture, this kind of closeness is only done for the people you trust.

As people have witnessed, PH-China relationship was on the rocks during the previous administration. That is why parties that have no mutual trust can never have a successful negotiation. The various gestures that were done by these statesmen gave an indication that there was a diplomatic climate change that happened due to the melting of the icy relationship that the country had.

THE TOUCH THAT MELTED YEARS OF ICY RELATIONS

In my Foreign Policy & Diplomacy class, our professor taught us to take culture seriously and to not only focus on verbal cues. The non-verbal dimensions of interactions of leaders matters a lot, and sometimes more than what they express verbally. Remember the time Putin brought his dog during his meeting with Merkel? It was Putin psy-ops against Merkel, who has a phobia of dogs. How about the 2004 meeting between Qaddafi and Blair? Qaddafi pointed the sole of his shoe towards Blair. In Arab culture, that's an insult. Obviously, Blair didn't know it at that time; thus, in the picture, Blair was smiling as the sole of Qaddafi's shoe pointed towards him. Arab people quickly noticed it.

I just watched the video of Duterte's arrival in China. He was welcomed at the airport by Wang Yi, China's foreign minister. It was a very warm welcome. Wang offered his hand, Duterte took it. Wang touched Duterte's lower arm; Duterte reciprocated with a double-handshake, conveying a message that you are trustworthy and honest. The handshake was firm. It wasn't released quickly, signifying interest, sincerity, attention. Wang's face was so close to Duterte. Their faces were solemn, as Wang was telling Duterte something. Then Wang gripped Duterte's upper arm. At the moment Wang touched Duterte's right arm, Duterte's eyes closed for a few seconds, he looked like as if he was relishing that moment of intense proximity. And I understood why: Wang's grip put him much closer to Duterte's personal space. In Chinese culture, this proximity is only reserved for people you trust.

No negotiations can be successful if there's no mutual trust among the parties involved. The trust between China and the Philippines deteriorated so bad during the Aquino administration. The series of touch these two statesmen shared signal that years of this icy relations are melting - a diplomatic climate change.