BEIJING, China (The Adobo Chronicles, Hong Kong Bureau) -Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced the appointment of Jackie Chan as his country’s new Ambassador to the Philippines.

The announcement came as Rodrigo Duterte visited China for bilateral talks with Xi Jinping.

The Hong Kong-born Hollywood actor presented his credentials to Duterte and Senator Bong Go. Afterwards, the threesome posed for the cameras with the infamous Duterte fist.

In appointing Chan, the Beijing government said it needed to designate someone who could ease growing tensions between China and the Philippines over the terrotorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea.

For his part,  Duterte said that Chan is well-loved by the Filipinos — regardless of political affiliation — so having him as Ambassador will lessen the animosity towards China, especially among Duterte’s critics.