CHINESE consul-general Jia Li, on Wednesday, Dec. 5, said the relation between China and the Philippines rapidly increased since President Rodrigo Duterte visited their country.
Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping also visited the Philippines and expressed support to Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” projects.
The Consulate of the People’s Republic of China in Cebu, represented by Jia Li and consular attache Jiang Wen, hosted a lunch meeting with Cebu media to brief them of the status of relations between the two countries.
Jia said under these two present administrations, bilateral agreements were entered into by China and the Philippines in various areas, including agriculture, infrastructure, education, science, technology and communications.
Jia said the two countries also established memorandum of understanding (MOU) for political, economic, and security, and people to people cultural program.
Jia furnished a copy to the media the stand of China that it is firmly supporting the Philippines’ fight against illegal drugs and terrorism.
He said China will continue to provide assistance, within its capacity, to the Philippines to implement more livelihood projects including poverty reduction and expand exchanges and cooperation on education, culture and tourism.
Jia also furnished a copy of a primer entitled “Open up a New Future Together for China-Philippines Relations.” The primer quoted Jinping saying that the ancestors of national hero Jose Rizal came from Jinjiang of China’s Fujian Province and the famed Chinese general Ye Fei, who fought for the founding of New China, was born in Quezon, Philippines.
Jinping said in just a little more than two years, China has become the Philippines’ largest trading partner, largest export market and largest source of imports, and the second largest source of tourists. There are now more Philippine fruits on the dining table of Chinese households.
“There has been a surge of interest for private investment in each other’s countries, and interactions between our cultural groups have been frequent,” Jinping said.
During the administration of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, the relation between China and the Philippines turned sour after Aquino filed a protest against China’s construction of structures at the West Philippine Sea.
The Philippines won its case against China in the international tribunal. However, this was not implemented by Duterte who chose to befriend China. (EOB)