ACCOMPLISHMENTS on various fronts of cooperation between the Philippines and China were recently cited by a top diplomat and a business group leader.
Ambassador Huang Xilian as well as Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc.’s (FFCCCII) president Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong tackled milestones of the strong Filipino-Chinese ties at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Philippines-China Cooperation Achievements photo exhibit in Binondo, Manila on April 20.
Linkages between both countries that were tackled cover diplomatic, trade, infrastructure, agriculture, pandemic response, and other forms of collaboration.
“We have strengthened and delivered on the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Build, Build, Build Program over the past six years,” maintained Huang. “Nearly 40 government-to-government cooperation projects have been on the agenda. Sixteen of those have been completed, while the rest are under implementation, or to be mapped out.”
The diplomat noted the landmark China-gifted Binondo-Intramuros Bridge, which opened on April 5, has already become a tourist attraction and benefitting tens of thousands of people every day.
He also pointed out the growing trade volume between his country, which has doubled since 2016: “Furthermore, total accumulated Chinese investments in the last six years have quadrupled, in comparison to the 2010-2015 figure. This significant growth is contributing to the economic growth and national development of the Philippines, bringing profits to our peoples.”
According to him, both countries imbibed the bayanihan spirit during the pandemic by combatting Covid-19 “hand-in-hand, and forging a closer partnership in the new era.”
Consistently handling differences properly, the two Asian neighbors in the past six years have enforced the consensus reached by their respective leaders to position the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea (SCS/WPS) issue in a proper place in their bilateral relations, relayed Huang.
“We have been committed to managing our disputes through bilateral communication and [consultations], increasing mutual trust, and advancing cooperation in a constructive manner,” he said. “We have handled a series of maritime-related incidents prudently, and conducted consultations on the joint development of oil and gas resources in the SCS/WPS.”
“All of these have also contributed to a peaceful and stable regional environment. Dialogues and consultations are the only way to deal with our differences,” he added. “Widening differences, or bringing in a trouble-maker, is definitely not the right way.”
Pushing for better amity and people-to-people understanding between the two nations, Huang cited that the Chinese Embassy has initiated the “Manila Forum for Philippines-China Relations,” the “Award for Promoting Philippines-China Understanding,” the “Sino-Philippine Cultural Exchange Program,” livelihood projects, and aid for typhoon victims, among others.
Banking on Fil-Chi relations
DR. LIM, for his part, urged the Philippine government to leverage on its “good diplomatic ties with Beijing,” so it could be at par with its neighboring countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia or South Korea in tapping the 1.4 billion people of China—the biggest and increasingly affluent consumer market in the world—by exporting more Filipino-made goods and agricultural products.
For the FFCCCII, the country must also attract more foreign-direct investments, bring in more tourists from China, and forge technological cooperation. For one, his hybrid rice technology helping rural Filipino rice farmers is an example of successful “win-win” Philippine-Chinese technological collaboration.
The FFCCCII president likewise supported the call of Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez for the Senate to soon enact the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)—the world’s largest free-trade agreement, which includes all 10 member-states of the Asean, China, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.
He agreed with Huang that RCEP will benefit local businesses, especially small and medium enterprises that can export more products and services to China.
Dr. Lim said ratification of partnership will not only benefit local businesses, but can make the Philippines more attractive for foreign investors who want to conduct business and establish factories nationwide.