Duterte, Xi renew vow to boost Philippines-China ties

MANILA, Philippines — China has vowed to sustain a “principled friendship” with the Philippines and to continue supporting the Duterte administration’s infrastructure program and its fight against COVID-19, Malacañang said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping relayed his commitment to President Duterte on Friday during their 45-minute telephone conversation initiated by Beijing.

“President Xi stated that China will continue to foster a ‘principled friendship’ with the Philippines and strengthen the two countries’ comprehensive partnership. China honors its promise to friends and is therefore prepared to work with the Philippines so that all bilateral projects come into fruition,” a Palace statement released Friday night read.

“In particular, China will continue to support the administration’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ program as well as the government’s ongoing efforts to defeat COVID-19, including through a possible joint collaboration on vaccine development and production,” it added.

Duterte emphasized the need for enhanced economic cooperation to hasten post-pandemic recovery and reiterated the Philippines’ commitment to further strengthen its ties with China, particularly in trade and investment and infrastructure development.

“Asia’s dynamic future depends on how hard we all work together, how we respect each other and how we ensure that we as nations are mindful not just of our rights but of our responsibilities,” Duterte was quoted as saying in the Palace statement.

The Philippines and China are embroiled in a maritime row over the resource-rich West Philippine Sea but officials insist that the dispute does not constitute the totality of the ties between the two countries.

Duterte has been accused of not doing enough to assert a 2016 arbitral decision that voided China’s maritime claims in the area but officials deny this, noting that he had vowed to reject attempts to undermine the ruling during an address before the United Nations General Assembly.

While various sectors criticize Duterte’s decision to seek warmer ties with China, Malacañang insists that the policy allowed the Philippines to secure more Chinese investments.

In his recent speeches, Duterte thanked China for the COVID-19 vaccines it donated, including those developed by Sinovac, the most widely used vaccine in the Philippines.

Malacañang said Duterte and Xi reaffirmed the importance of the “enduring friendship” and comprehensive strategic cooperation between their two countries during what it described as a “warm, open and productive” telesummit.

Duterte thanked China for helping the Philippines in its efforts to contain the pandemic and called for greater collaboration in the public health sector, particularly on vaccine development and production.

He also thanked the Chinese government for its support for the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program, noting that the China-funded Estrella- Pantaleon bridge has been completed.

The Philippines is looking forward to the early completion of ongoing infrastructure projects and China’s continued support for landmark projects, including the Mindanao flood control projects, Pasig Marikina River bridges, the Samal Island-Davao City connector project and the Subic-Clark railway project, Duterte added.

“In this regard, the President also stressed the importance of further improving bilateral processes for the implementation of bilateral projects,” the Palace statement said.

Duterte also encouraged increased Chinese investments in key sectors like agriculture, fisheries, information and communications technology and science and technology.

Xi, meanwhile, described Duterte as “a good friend and colleague” and thanked him for his remarks during the World Political Parties Summit (WPPS) in July 2021, and for his “vital role in putting China-Philippines relations back on track.”

“Echoing President Duterte’s statement at the WPPS that ‘we live in one global village’ with a common destiny, President Xi emphasized that China is prepared to

seize opportunities to advance the cause of peace and prosperity for the whole of humanity together with the Philippines,” Malacañang said.

The two leaders also talked about regional and global developments and their possible implications in the Asia-Pacific. Duterte likewise congratulated President Xi and the Chinese people on the centennial founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China.

Also mentioned during the telesummit was China’s commitment to donate 10,000 metric tons of rice to the Philippines.