Premier Li's visit boosts confidence in China-Philippines ties

By Rabi Sankar Bosu
0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, November 20, 2017
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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang [R] meets Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte[L] on Nov. 15, 2017. [Xinhua]



Without preamble, it can be said that when it comes to uphold the supremacy of peace on international affairs, China takes a visible lead justifying its role as a responsible world power with its peace-oriented foreign policy to its neighboring countries, in particular, Asia-Pacific region, as well as maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, linking development strategies, conducting security cooperation and consolidating people-to-people friendship.

Surely, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's recent official visit to the Philippines is a perfect example of good-neighborliness and friendship that has further "advanced China-Philippine bilateral ties in new era. It is worth a note that Li was the first Chinese premier to visit the Philippines in a decade.

Premier Li Keqiang had extended the CPC's vision of friendly cooperation with his participation in the 20th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, the 20th ASEAN-China, Japan and Republic of Korea (10+3) leaders' meeting and the 12th East Asia Summit, as well as the leaders' meeting on Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Without any doubt, under the rule of President Rodrigo Duterte, bilateral ties between China and Philippine are seeing an upswing as the Philippines is significantly shedding its American skin and embracing China, which is a pragmatic political acumen.

Duterte shelved a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration on July 12 last year that is in favor of the Philippines but is not recognized by China because the ruling ignored China’s sovereignty over the South China Sea territories which was formed over a long period of time. Pragmatic Duterte knows well that the Arbitral Tribunal's ruling and the U.S. warship's patrol in the South China Sea are all smokescreens to fool the world. He described the judgment as a "piece of paper." He is instead pursuing bilateral talks with China to solve its problem.

On November 13 in Manila, at the 20th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, China and 10-member ASEAN countries agreed to start the negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

Ahead of his trip to Manila, Premier Li Keqiang published a signed article in the Philippines' newspapers Manila Times and The Philippine Star on Nov 11 under the title "Opening a new chapter of China-Philippines relations with renewed friendship and deepened cooperation," expressing China's strong intention to renew friendship with the nation. In the article, Li said, “The China-Philippines relationship is now seeing a rainbow after the storm and showing a good momentum across the board."

The two countries have rapidly normalized their bilateral relations, upgraded investment ties, generating fruitful results. Since the beginning of this year, the two sides have been heartened by the boom in practical cooperation and after the first 10 months of this year, China has become the Philippines' top trading partner. It is the country's largest importer and the fourth-largest export destination. China has imported some 13,000 shipments of tropical fruit from the Philippines and 14 new flights have been opened between the two countries.

On June 29, 2017, pleased with the direction of bilateral relations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hailed bilateral relations with the Philippines as entering a "golden period of fast development."

Premier Li and President Duterte witnessed the signing of the 14 cooperation agreements on infrastructure financing, bridge construction, bond issuance, drug rehabilitation, climate change, intellectual property protection, and industrial capacity cooperation. Duterte thanked China for aiding the Philippines in its takeover and rebuilding of war-torn Marawi City in the southern Philippines and the assistance given to boost the Philippines' "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure development initiative.

He said China's assistance comes "at a critical moment" for the Philippines. Li disclosed the Chinese government will provide a grant of 150 million yuan (22.7 million US dollars) for the rebuilding and improvement of livelihoods in Marawi to demonstrate the support of the Chinese people.

The Philippines is a friendly neighbor of China and also an important partner in the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative which will bring job opportunities and prosperity to the Philippines. The Philippines needs to improve and expand its infrastructure to provide essential support for rapid economic development.

Surely, the Philippines' "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure development initiative will also be a big potential market for China. It is the right path for the development of China-Philippines relations by promoting the docking of bilateral development strategies, and pushing for more achievements on the road of common development, so as to better benefit the two peoples.

Rabi Sankar Bosu, Secretary of New Horizon Radio Listeners' Club, West Bengal, India

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

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