Davao City is looking to expand its longstanding engagement with China’s Fujian Province into more concrete cooperation in agriculture, healthcare, traditional medicine, and disaster risk management, following a meeting between city officials and a high-level foreign affairs delegation on August 27.
The dialogue, facilitated by the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC), brought together Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte and officials from the Fujian Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, led by Deputy Director-General Huang Shaorong.
The meeting signals a potential new phase in Davao City’s relationship with Fujian, whose connections with the city already extend through Jinjiang City, one of the city’s Chinese sister cities.
Duterte welcomed the delegation and expressed appreciation for its decision to include Davao City in its itinerary.
Joining the mayor were Councilors Rachel Zozobrado and Ragde Niño Ibuyan, City Information Office Officer-in-Charge Harvey James Lanticse, and DCIPC Acting Officer-in-Charge Christian D. Cambaya.
Among the delegates were agricultural and healthcare specialists, including Tang Hao, deputy president and researcher at the Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Liu Zhizhen, director for laboratory management and science and technology innovation for traditional Chinese medicine.
The delegation presented possible areas for technical exchange, particularly in agricultural research and production. Discussions included the sharing of knowledge and technologies that could help improve yields of staple crops such as rice and potatoes, while opening opportunities for cooperation in traditional medicine and disaster risk management.
Duterte welcomed the proposed exchanges, emphasizing the importance of strengthening agricultural self-sufficiency and food security to support livelihoods and improve the resilience of local communities.
The mayor also raised the possibility of encouraging relevant committees of the City Council to develop agriculture- and healthcare-related programs that could eventually be institutionalized through local legislation.
Building on Fujian-Davao ties
The latest engagement builds on an existing relationship between Davao and Fujian Province, particularly through Davao City's sister-city partnership with Jinjiang, a city in Fujian.
Davao and Jinjiang marked the fifth anniversary of their sister-city agreement in 2023, an event attended by Duterte and Fujian Governor Zhao Long. The partnership has covered commerce, trade, education, tourism, culture and agricultural cooperation, while the two sides also signed an agreement aimed at deepening friendly exchanges.
Earlier that year, Davao and Jinjiang signed a framework agreement on economic, trade and business development, with Chinese companies and business executives exploring opportunities in the city.
The relationship has also generated interest from other areas in Fujian. Following the 2023 engagements, the DCIPC reported that businesses and local governments from the province were exploring opportunities in agribusiness, food manufacturing and industrial development in Davao.
Davao City has continued to position international partnerships as part of its investment and development strategy. According to the DCIPC, the city has 23 sister cities, along with honorary consular and consular offices that help facilitate cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, and other areas.
Agribusiness, health and other knowledge-intensive sectors are also among the investment areas being promoted by the city.
The DCIPC lists more than 20,000 hectares of agricultural land available for investment and identifies agribusiness, food production, health, technology and light manufacturing among its priority sectors.
Agricultural expertise
Fujian, a southeastern coastal province of the People’s Republic of China, has a diversified economy supported by manufacturing, services, agriculture and fisheries.
Official 2025 data from Fujian showed that the province recorded a gross domestic product of about 60.2 trillion yuan, growing by 5 percent from the previous year. Its agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery sector generated approximately 5.94 trillion yuan in total output. The province produced about 5.21 million tons of grain in 2025, including more than 4 million tons of rice, according to Fujian's official statistical data. It also reported substantial production of fruits, vegetables, tea, edible mushrooms, and aquatic products.
These capabilities could provide areas for technical cooperation as Davao City seeks to strengthen agricultural productivity and food security.
The discussions with the Fujian delegation also come as Chinese officials and business groups continue to identify modern agriculture, healthcare, new energy, infrastructure and the digital economy as potential areas for expanded cooperation with Mindanao. In May, the Chinese Consulate General in Davao said these sectors held significant potential for deeper economic and investment collaboration between China and the region.
During the August 27 dialogue, Huang said Fujian was implementing the third iteration of a five-year framework intended to deepen subnational cooperation with partner cities, with Davao identified as an important part of its broader engagement.
Duterte, in turn, reaffirmed the city's interest in pursuing long-term cooperation and translating diplomatic exchanges into programs that could benefit Dabawenyos.
