CHINESE PRESIDENT Xi Jinping said he is willing to work with Filipino leader Rodrigo Duterte to continuously lift their countries' relationship of comprehensive strategic cooperation to new levels.
"I attach great importance to the development of China-Philippines ties," Xi said when exchanging congratulatory messages with Duterte to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.
Both China and the Philippines are at a critical moment for development, Xi stressed in his message, noting that the two countries share broad prospects for cooperation.
Xi said China feels empathy for the Philippines amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) epidemic, and is ready to work with the Philippine side to overcome the difficulties together.
China and the Philippines are good neighbors with profound traditional friendship, Xi said, noting that over the past 45 years of diplomatic relations, China-Philippines ties have made remarkable progress.
In recent years, in particular, Xi said, the two countries have deepened their political mutual trust, continuously expanded cooperation in various areas, and achieved fruitful results in Belt and Road cooperation, bringing concrete benefits to the two peoples and contributing to regional stability and development.
In his message, Duterte said friendship and kinship between the Philippine and Chinese people have been lasting for a thousand years. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975, the friendship between the two countries has developed steadily.
Currently, Duterte said global security and stability continue to face challenges and non-traditional security threats such as the Covid-19 pandemic have become increasingly prominent, adding that it is of great importance to further consolidate Philippines-China partnership.
Duterte said the Philippine side takes China as a close neighbor and an important partner, and is ready to deepen bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperation and facilitate peace, development and prosperity of the two countries by upholding the principle of peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Late last year, Beijing and Manila agreed to join hands and work together to further develop the comprehensive strategic cooperative relationship between the two countries.
Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, who was in Manila in October, said that China is ready to work with the Philippines to implement the consensus reached between the top leaders of the two countries.
Hu said China has strong interests in cooperation with the Philippines on building the China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and integrating the projects with the Philippines' "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure program. “We should broaden our cooperation in trade and investment, strengthen our economic ties, fast-track our cooperation on important projects, and in this way can we harvest more substantial fruits of cooperation,” Hu said.
Hu also said China and the Philippines should strengthen cooperation on the regional and multilateral levels. He called for close communication and coordination on related issues.
“China is willing to encourage well-established entrepreneurship to expand investment in the Philippines and we also hope the Philippine government to further improve the domestic business environment and to provide more support and convenience to the business cooperation between the two countries,” Hu added.
Duterte, on his part, said the Philippines attaches great importance to Philippines-China relations. He said his country has been active in participating in the building of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Duterte called for closer cooperation in various fields between China and the Philippines, so as to further develop the comprehensive strategic cooperative relationship between the two countries.
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Hu also signed several agreements last year and two of these are part of Duterte’s flagship infrastructure program called “Build, Build, Build” while the other four cover trade, customs, and communications.
They also discussed the best ways to integrate the “Build, Build, Build” program with China’s Belt and Road Initiative as well as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement.
The agreements signed were the following: Davao City expressway project - this project involves the construction of a 24.4km (15.1 miles) expressway within Davao City - Duterte’s hometown - connecting the Santa Ana Port to the outer part of the city.
This was proposed by the Duterte administration in order to relieve traffic congestion within the city as well as encourage economic activities from the improvement of accessibility.
The project is estimated to cost around US$478.5 million and will be financed by the official development assistance (ODA) loan package from the Chinese Government. The 12-month feasibility study will be conducted by CCCC Highway Consultants Co. Ltd., a Chinese contractor.
The Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) island bridge project - the feasibility study for the construction of the 5.7km (3.5 miles) Panay-Guimaras bridge and the 12.3km (7.6 miles) Guimaras-Negros bridge is set to be completed before 2020.
The study was conducted by Chinese firm CCCC Highways Consultations Co., Ltd, and the funding for the project (worth US$535 million) was provided through a grant from the Chinese government.
The Philippine radio equipment project - the Chinese government donated a variety of broadcasting equipment to the Presidential Communications Operations Office’s Philippine Broadcasting Service which is a state-owned regional radio station. The donation includes live broadcast equipment; FM broadcast equipment, transmitters, and medium wave transmitter equipment.
The China-Aid Container Testing Equipment - China will donate four sets of Mobile Container/Vehicle Inspection Systems and two sets of CT Scan Inspection Systems to the country’s Bureau of Customs.
And the implementation of the Marawi Sports Complex and Central Market Projects - these two projects are part of the reconstruction program for the ruined city of Marawi. Both projects will have a total floor area of about 13,202 square meters: Sports Complex – 6,505 square meters that can hold up to 1,000 people; and Central Market – 7,148 square meters that will include a functional area and equipment rooms.
Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Avocado from the Philippines to China - this agreement will see the Philippines and China develop a protocol on the phytosanitary requirements needed for the export of Hass avocados to China. In 2017, the demand for avocados in China increased more than 1000 times compared to 2011.
China is now one of the Philippines’ major trading partners with an export value of $944.23 million in August 2019. In addition, it also brings in the most value of imported goods into the country with a 23.1 percent share of total imports in August 2019.
China is also one of the country’s top investors with investments reaching $980 million in 2018. With China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the Philippines’ Build, Build, Build program, the two countries have an aligned infrastructure development agenda, which could lead to greater opportunities for cooperation and collaboration. (Xinhua. With a report from the Mindanao Examiner.)
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| Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Philippine counterpart Rodrigo Duterte head for the main building of the presidential palace after a welcome ceremony in Manila on Nov. 20, 2018. Also in the photo is Davao Mayor and Presidential daughter Sara Carpio. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) |
"I attach great importance to the development of China-Philippines ties," Xi said when exchanging congratulatory messages with Duterte to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.
Both China and the Philippines are at a critical moment for development, Xi stressed in his message, noting that the two countries share broad prospects for cooperation.
Xi said China feels empathy for the Philippines amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) epidemic, and is ready to work with the Philippine side to overcome the difficulties together.
Good Neighbors
China and the Philippines are good neighbors with profound traditional friendship, Xi said, noting that over the past 45 years of diplomatic relations, China-Philippines ties have made remarkable progress.
In recent years, in particular, Xi said, the two countries have deepened their political mutual trust, continuously expanded cooperation in various areas, and achieved fruitful results in Belt and Road cooperation, bringing concrete benefits to the two peoples and contributing to regional stability and development.
In his message, Duterte said friendship and kinship between the Philippine and Chinese people have been lasting for a thousand years. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975, the friendship between the two countries has developed steadily.
Currently, Duterte said global security and stability continue to face challenges and non-traditional security threats such as the Covid-19 pandemic have become increasingly prominent, adding that it is of great importance to further consolidate Philippines-China partnership.
Duterte said the Philippine side takes China as a close neighbor and an important partner, and is ready to deepen bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperation and facilitate peace, development and prosperity of the two countries by upholding the principle of peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Agreements
Late last year, Beijing and Manila agreed to join hands and work together to further develop the comprehensive strategic cooperative relationship between the two countries.
Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, who was in Manila in October, said that China is ready to work with the Philippines to implement the consensus reached between the top leaders of the two countries.
Hu said China has strong interests in cooperation with the Philippines on building the China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and integrating the projects with the Philippines' "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure program. “We should broaden our cooperation in trade and investment, strengthen our economic ties, fast-track our cooperation on important projects, and in this way can we harvest more substantial fruits of cooperation,” Hu said.
Hu also said China and the Philippines should strengthen cooperation on the regional and multilateral levels. He called for close communication and coordination on related issues.
“China is willing to encourage well-established entrepreneurship to expand investment in the Philippines and we also hope the Philippine government to further improve the domestic business environment and to provide more support and convenience to the business cooperation between the two countries,” Hu added.
Duterte, on his part, said the Philippines attaches great importance to Philippines-China relations. He said his country has been active in participating in the building of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Duterte called for closer cooperation in various fields between China and the Philippines, so as to further develop the comprehensive strategic cooperative relationship between the two countries.
China Projects
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Hu also signed several agreements last year and two of these are part of Duterte’s flagship infrastructure program called “Build, Build, Build” while the other four cover trade, customs, and communications.
They also discussed the best ways to integrate the “Build, Build, Build” program with China’s Belt and Road Initiative as well as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement.
The agreements signed were the following: Davao City expressway project - this project involves the construction of a 24.4km (15.1 miles) expressway within Davao City - Duterte’s hometown - connecting the Santa Ana Port to the outer part of the city.
This was proposed by the Duterte administration in order to relieve traffic congestion within the city as well as encourage economic activities from the improvement of accessibility.
The project is estimated to cost around US$478.5 million and will be financed by the official development assistance (ODA) loan package from the Chinese Government. The 12-month feasibility study will be conducted by CCCC Highway Consultants Co. Ltd., a Chinese contractor.
The Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) island bridge project - the feasibility study for the construction of the 5.7km (3.5 miles) Panay-Guimaras bridge and the 12.3km (7.6 miles) Guimaras-Negros bridge is set to be completed before 2020.
The study was conducted by Chinese firm CCCC Highways Consultations Co., Ltd, and the funding for the project (worth US$535 million) was provided through a grant from the Chinese government.
The Philippine radio equipment project - the Chinese government donated a variety of broadcasting equipment to the Presidential Communications Operations Office’s Philippine Broadcasting Service which is a state-owned regional radio station. The donation includes live broadcast equipment; FM broadcast equipment, transmitters, and medium wave transmitter equipment.
The China-Aid Container Testing Equipment - China will donate four sets of Mobile Container/Vehicle Inspection Systems and two sets of CT Scan Inspection Systems to the country’s Bureau of Customs.
And the implementation of the Marawi Sports Complex and Central Market Projects - these two projects are part of the reconstruction program for the ruined city of Marawi. Both projects will have a total floor area of about 13,202 square meters: Sports Complex – 6,505 square meters that can hold up to 1,000 people; and Central Market – 7,148 square meters that will include a functional area and equipment rooms.
Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Avocado from the Philippines to China - this agreement will see the Philippines and China develop a protocol on the phytosanitary requirements needed for the export of Hass avocados to China. In 2017, the demand for avocados in China increased more than 1000 times compared to 2011.
China is now one of the Philippines’ major trading partners with an export value of $944.23 million in August 2019. In addition, it also brings in the most value of imported goods into the country with a 23.1 percent share of total imports in August 2019.
China is also one of the country’s top investors with investments reaching $980 million in 2018. With China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the Philippines’ Build, Build, Build program, the two countries have an aligned infrastructure development agenda, which could lead to greater opportunities for cooperation and collaboration. (Xinhua. With a report from the Mindanao Examiner.)
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