Philippines, China sign deals during Belt and Road Forum

BEIJING – Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Duterte witnessed yesterday the signing of two government agreements on the sidelines of their bilateral meeting at the Great Hall of the People here.

Duterte arrived the other night to join 39 other heads of state and leaders of international organizations for the Second Belt and Road Forum.

With the President at the bilateral meeting were Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.

A separate set of business agreements amounting to over $10 billion is expected to be signed between Filipino and Chinese businessmen at a business forum today.

Signed yesterday was the Exchange of Letters on Production Capacity and Investment Cooperation between the Philippines and China.

The agreement involves drawing up a project list that will serve as focus of cooperation between the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and China’s National Development and Reform Commission.

NEDA director general Ernesto Pernia and NDRC chairman He Lifeng represented the two countries in the agreement.

The other agreement signed was the “Handover Certificate Grant Aid for the Dangerous Drugs Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers” project. The ceremonies also involved the official turnover of drug treatment facilities in Agusan del Norte and Sarangani province to the Philippines.

Ambassador Jose Santiago Sta. Romana and Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan represented the Philippines and China, respectively, at the ceremonies.