Philippine VP, Chinese star dribble around sea dispute
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He may be no Black Mamba like Kobe Bryant, but Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay unabashedly dribbled around Yao Ming, as if challenging the 7'6" former Houston Rockets centre to a one-on-one.
Binay welcomed Yao and his Shanghai Sharks to his Coconut Palace on Monday morning, gaping at the giant and looking up to shake hands with the retired NBA player.
The 152-centimetre vice president stood just up to Yao’s elbow and quipped to photographers he needed a ladder to face the towering Chinese.
“I’ve seen someone who’s 8 feet tall, but Yao is different. He is truly terrifying,” Binay later told reporters.
Yao and the Sharks, assisted by Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Ma Keqing and officials of the Philippine Sports Commission, paid a courtesy call on Binay and invited him to watch their match in the evening against Smart Gilas Pilipinas.
“I think I will stop campaigning just to watch this game. Politics is also a popular sport here in the Philippines,” Binay told Yao.
Taking a break at the homestretch of the campaign for next week’s elections, a helicopter ferried Binay from Camarines Sur to meet Yao.
“The visit of Yao Ming is part of the continuing cultural exchange between the Philippines and China. We hope we can have more of this cultural exchange,” Binay told the press.
Yao thanked Binay for the warm welcome he and his team received and hoped basketball could lead to closer ties between Manila and Beijing.
“Basketball is a very popular sport here in the Philippines. In the last 20 to 30 years, it has gained much popularity in China too. Everybody watches this game and we hope to further exchange our friendly relations through this game,” Yao said through an interpreter.
He then presented Binay with a Sharks jersey and a basketball signed by the team members. Binay bounced the ball a few times, a la Kobe Bryant, teasing Yao.
