Marcos vows to foster stronger, deeper ties with China

DAVAO CITY - President-elect Bongbong Marcos has vowed to foster stronger and deeper Philippines-China relations during his six-year administration.

Marcos also lauded China’s role in helping the Philippines in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and pledged to uphold an independent policy.

President-elect Bongbong Marcos with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian. “Hanging on the wall are photographs recording historic moments of China-Philippines relations, one of which on the top has depicted the historic scene of then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and then Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos signing the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between our two counties on June 9, 1975,” Huang says in a Facebook post.

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said the past six years saw China-Philippines relations consolidated, and China became the Philippines’ largest trading partner, second-largest export market and the major source of foreign investments.

“I am fully confident that our relations will surely open a new chapter and be upgraded to new heights,” he said.

Huang recently exchanged with Philippine Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez the signed Framework Agreement and Loan Agreement for the Samal Island-Davao City Connector Project.

 

The Chinese government will provide a concessional loan of approximately $350 million to the Duterte government to finance the project.

 

Connecting Davao City and Samal Island across the Pakiputan Strait, the project is a two-way, four-lane 3.86-km bridge. Once completed, the bridge will provide a resilient and reliable transportation link and improve transportation efficiency, promoting internal mobility, and stimulating tourism potential, according to Huang.

 

“The first cross-sea bridge that the Davaoeno people have long dreamed of will come true,” he said, adding “also, during the construction, thousands of jobs would be created, contributing to local economic recovery and improving people’s livelihood.”

 

“This project will break ground before long. Look forward to seeing the long-awaited cross-sea bridge turning from a vision into a reality,” he added. (Xinhua, Mindanao Examiner)