President Duterte has reiterated his call for greater global solidarity as the world continued to grapple with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Duterte made the statement as he virtually participated in Japan's Nikkei Future of Asia Conference on Friday, May 21.

In his speech, the President said that solidarity among countries was important because a country is only as strong as its weakest link.

"First, we are only as strong as our weakest link as a country and as a region, and as one global community," he said.

"This is why we need greater solidarity for collective, coordinated, and comprehensive responses. Inward-looking policies will lead us nowhere," he added.

According to the President, the Philippines supports all avenues for increased production of COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.

He likewise thanked Japan and other partners in the COVAX Facility that have benefitted many developing countries including the Philippines.

"But collective international action can only complement national responses which should be people-centered and holistic," Duterte said.

President Duterte, in his speech, highlighted the government's efforts to achieve inclusive and sustainable recovery amid the pandemic, particularly ensuring universal health care coverage, strengthening the public health system, enhancing food security, reinforcing the digital economy, and maximizing connectivity in the country.

Meanwhile, he reaffirmed the country's support for a free and rules-based multilateral trading system as he noted how the pandemic was reinforcing de-globalization trends.

"The key to recovery and shared prosperity remains the free movement of goods, capital, and services, as well as the harnessing of valuable human resources," Duterte said.

"Despite the pandemic, opportunities for growth remain," he added.

The President highlighted the Philippines' positive demographic profile and economic reform initiatives such as the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act that aim to make the country more competitive in an open and fair global economy.

The annual Nikkei Conference is organized by Nikkei Inc., the largest economic newspaper in Japan and the largest newsgroup in Asia. The event gathers government leaders and business executives from all over the Asia-Pacific to discuss current political and economic trends and issues.

This was not the first time President Duterte delivered a speech before world and business leaders in the annual event. He gave a speech at the 2019 Nikkei Future of Asia Conference in Tokyo, Japan where he told his audience that the government was determined to catapult the Philippines to the ranks of upper-middle-income countries with a thriving knowledge economy.

"I am determined to see our policies support the poor. We enacted the Free Tertiary Education and Universal Healthcare to give our people safety nets for the basic means to lead a life of dignity," he said in 2019.

Winning on a platform of law and order, President Duterte said he wished to imitate Japan, with a population having a strong commitment to follow the law and more developed civic-mindedness.