{"id":190503,"date":"2018-11-21T05:10:30","date_gmt":"2018-11-21T10:10:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=190503"},"modified":"2018-11-21T05:10:30","modified_gmt":"2018-11-21T10:10:30","slug":"xi-lauded-for-pushing-comprehensive-strategic-ph-china-ties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2018\/11\/21\/xi-lauded-for-pushing-comprehensive-strategic-ph-china-ties\/","title":{"rendered":"Xi lauded for pushing \u2018comprehensive, strategic\u2019 PH-China ties"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and President Xi Jinping of People’s Republic of China pose for a photo after declaring their joint press statements during the successful expanded bilateral meeting at the Malaca\u00f1an Palace on November 20, 2018. ALFRED FRIAS\/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

MANILA\u00a0\u2013 A political analyst has recognized the importance of Chinese President Xi Jinping\u2019s historic Manila visit on the improving Philippines-China relations under President Rodrigo Duterte\u2019s administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe general significance of the visit is its continuation of the strengthening friendly relations between the two countries,\u201d Ramon Casiple, executive director of Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, told the Philippines News Agency (PNA).<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is significant that President Xi spoke of \u2018comprehensive and strategic\u2019 relations that he wants,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

After their \u2018productive\u2019 expanded bilateral meeting on Tuesday at the Malaca\u00f1ang Palace, Xi and Duterte agreed to forge a \u201ccomprehensive, strategic cooperation\u201d between the Philippines and China.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis vision charts a clear course for China-Philippines relations and it sends a strong message to the world that our two countries are partners in seeking common development,\u201d Xi said.<\/p>\n

Since Duterte took office in 2016, Xi said the Philippines-China ties turned around, citing efforts to push friendly and peaceful dialogue amid dispute in the West Philippine Sea.<\/p>\n

\u201cI commend the President for taking on Jose Rizal\u2019s mantle and for his commitment to an independent Philippines,\u201d Xi said,<\/p>\n

Duterte, for his part, said he is pleased with the current positive momentum of the Philippines-China ties, seeking to enhance further the functional cooperation in key areas such as bilateral trade and two-way investment promotions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a deepening trust and confidence [between] our Governments, and we have greatly increased dialogue and interaction on many levels,\u201d Duterte said.<\/p>\n

According to People\u2019s Daily report, trade volume between China and the Philippines in 2017 exceeded USD50 billion for the first time, while Chinese direct investment in the Philippines totaled USD53.84 million, up 67 percent over the previous year.<\/p>\n

China has become the largest trading partner, the biggest source of imports, and the fourth largest export destination of the Philippines.<\/p>\n

Duterte said he and Xi are committed to forge a \u201cnew legacy of friendship and cooperation as we work together in further consolidating ties with our both nations\u201d.<\/p>\n

‘Strong desire’ to bolster ties<\/strong><\/p>\n

He said Xi\u2019s visit was a testament to a strong desire to write a new chapter in the history of Philippines-China relations.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am hopeful that through our cooperation, opportunities for greater collaboration will further promote the prosperity and success of our nations and contribute to lasting peace and stability in the region,\u201d Duterte said.<\/p>\n

After their bilateral meeting, the two leaders witnessed the exchange of 29 signed bilateral documents including memorandum of understandings (MOUs) on cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and on oil and gas development in the West Philippine Sea.<\/p>\n

Casiple said the BRI and exploration agreements are \u2018logically’ products of the progressing Philippines-China friendly relations.<\/p>\n

Xi said China will continue to do its \u201cmodest best\u201d to help and support the Philippines.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur support will come in many forms from lending our hand to your counter-narcotics and the counter-terrorism struggle, to helping to repair roads and bridges in Marawi and build new infrastructure there,\u201d Xi said.<\/p>\n

He added that China will import more goods such as coconut and frozen fruits from the Philippines.<\/p>\n

Xi said China will provide another 50 government scholarship grants for Filipino students on an annual basis from 2019 to 2021 and will implement arrangements for Filipino English teachers to work in China.<\/p>\n

He invited Duterte to attend the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing next year.<\/p>\n

Duterte attended the first Belt and Road Forum in 2017 also upon Xi\u2019s invitation.<\/p>\n

China\u2019s BRI is expected to be integrated with the Philippines\u2019 Ambisyon Natin 2040 development strategy and massive infrastructure \u2018Build, Build, Build\u2019 program under newly-signed MOU on BRI cooperation.<\/p>\n

BRI, known also as One Belt, One Road, was Xi\u2019s brainchild which connects about 80 countries and promotes the flow of people, goods, capital and ideas between Asia, Africa and Europe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MANILA\u00a0\u2013 A political analyst has recognized the importance of Chinese President Xi Jinping\u2019s historic Manila visit on the improving Philippines-China …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":190505,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1145,16,95],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-190503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headline","category-news","category-news-ph","mauthors-jelly-musico","mauthors-philippine-news-agency"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=190503"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190503\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/190505"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=190503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=190503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=190503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}