Keynote Speech by Ambassador Huang Xilian at Symposium on Philippine-China Relations

(12 December 2022, Ateneo de Manila University)

Hon. Father Roberto Chan Yap SJ, President of Ateneo de Manila University,

Hon. Nathaniel G. Imperial, Assistant Secretary of Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines,

Dr. Czarina Saloma-Akpedonu, Dean of the School of Social Sciences of the Ateneo de Manila University,

Distinguished government officials, experts and scholars,

Dear Colleagues from China，

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning!

It is a great pleasure to come to the beautiful campus of Ateneo de Manila University. I am happy to join you all at this symposium co-hosted by Ateneo de Manila University and Jinan University to review the history of China-Philippines exchanges and share my thoughts on the future of our relations.

As a native of Fujian Province in China, I have known since I was a child that China and the Philippines are very close in terms of geographical location and ancestral ties. The two peoples are not alienated by the vast sea. The exchange of ships and merchants between our two countries began more than a thousand years ago. The millennium-old friendship shine like the primary colors of China-Philippines relations.

Over 600 years ago, Chinese navigator Zheng He made multiple visits to Manila Bay, Visayas, and Sulu on his seven overseas voyages seeking friendship and cooperation. The King of Sulu also made a goodwill visit to China, becoming the historical epitome of our friendship. While being invaded by Western colonists, Chinese-Filipinos fought shoulder to shoulder with local Filipinos against foreign aggression to protect the common homeland, leaving behind touching stories of China-Philippines friendship.

47 years ago, guided by the wisdom of the older generation of Chinese and Philippine leaders, our two countries broke the ice of Cold War estrangement, and established diplomatic relations, opening a new chapter of China-Philippines relations. In 1975, Chairman Mao Zedong met with President Marcos Sr., and Premier Zhou Enlai and President Marcos Sr. signed the Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and the Philippines. These historic moments will be remembered forever in China-Philippines friendly exchanges.

History is not always smooth sailing. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-Philippines relations have generally maintained a momentum of growth. However, our relations have also encountered serious setbacks, which is worth a think-through. Since President Duterte took office, China and the Philippines have reengaged in dialogue and consultation to handle differences properly. Rainbows reemerged in our relations after storms. Practical cooperation in economy and trade, infrastructure, COVID response, and people-to-people exchanges has been flourishing between our two countries, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples.

As we Chinese often say, reviewing the past enables us to learn about the law governing the evolution of history. There is also a famous saying in the Philippines that “If you do not know where you have come from, you cannot go far.” History is our best teacher. It faithfully records the past of China-Philippines relations and provides inspiration for the future. The millennium-old exchange and 47-year-old diplomatic ties between China and the Philippines show that despite the ups and downs in China-Philippines relations, profound friendship and win-win cooperation will always be the main stream of our bilateral relations, as it serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and fulfills the aspirations of the two peoples.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

China and the Philippines have completed our respective major political agenda this year. The 20th National Congress of the CPC was successfully held in Beijing, drawing an overarching plan for China’s future development. President Xi Jinping was re-elected as the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee. President Marcos Jr. won the presidential election with the highest votes, leading the Filipinos on a new journey of national building. It is heartening to see that the two heads of state attach great importance and pay personal attention to China-Philippines relations. President Xi sent a letter, made phone call, and sent a special envoy to congratulate President Marcos Jr. on his election. The trilogy of the presidential engagements provide strategic guidance for the continued growth of bilateral relations in the new era.

Last month, President Xi had a successful meeting with President Marcos Jr. in Bangkok. The two leaders reached a number of important consensus on writing a new chapter in the China-Philippines friendship and building a more robust and strong bilateral relationship. They established a good personal and working relationship through the meeting, laying a solid foundation for their in-depth interactions in the near future. Assistant Secretary Imperial was fortunate to be at the meeting to witness this significant moment. Facts have fully proven that presidential diplomacy plays an irreplaceable and primary role in promoting China-Philippines relations. We expect that the two leaders will continuously inject strong impetus into the growth of our relations.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, China-Philippines relations stand at a new historical starting point and embrace new opportunities. The blueprint of our relations has been laid out, and it’s time for us to take concrete actions to make it happen. China is ready to work with the Philippines to implement the consensus of the two leaders, so as to lift our comprehensive strategic cooperative relationship to a new level.

We need to enhance practical cooperation that benefits our peoples. China welcomes the Philippines to become an active partner in China’s pursuit of Chinese modernization and share the opportunities of China’s huge market and China’s efforts to advance opening up and deepen international cooperation. Our two sides have identified agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and people-to-people exchanges as four priority areas of cooperation, and we are committed to elevating these levels of cooperation. China-Philippines cooperation enjoys broad prospects, and I would like to share with you a few examples.

The first example is agriculture. China-Philippines agricultural cooperation has developed rapidly. A few months ago, I visited the Philippine-Sino Center for Agricultural Technology in Nueva Ecija Province. Over the past more than 20 years, it has introduced the hybrid rice of China to the Philippines and benefited millions of farmers in this country. China has become the third-largest export market of Philippine agricultural products and the second-largest import source of the Philippines. China is currently the world’s largest durian consumer market, with a demand of nearly one million tons and imports accounting for more than 80 percent of the world’s total. During my recent visit to Davao not long ago, I had a bit of the sweet Davao durian. And I also learned that the local durian production in Davao does not exceed 100,000 tons. With the huge potential at the Chinese market, I believe that fresh Philippine durian will soon reach the dining table in Chinese households, and Filipinos will share the opportunities and benefits of China’s development. We also look forward to diversifying the high-quality agricultural products from the Philippines that will enter the Chinese market.

The second example is new infrastructure. China has built the world’s largest 5G and optical fiber networks, with its 5G base stations accounting for more than 60 percent of the global total. Mobile payments make smart living a reality. New forms and models of business, such as automated stores, contactless delivery, live commerce, online diagnosis and treatment, and telecommuting, are flourishing. In fact, e-commerce platforms such as Lazada and Gcash, which are popular in the Philippines, have the participation of Chinese companies. Our two countries have broad prospects for cooperation in new infrastructures such as big data, cloud computing, AI, and the Internet of Things, which will help the Philippines achieve modernization.

The third example is new energy. Electric vehicle industry has seen rapid development in China. China is currently the world’s largest producer of electric vehicles, the production of which in 2021 reached 2.29 million units, accounting for 57.4 percent of the global total. I noticed that the Philippine NEDA Board had endorsed an executive order to modify the tariff rates on e-vehicles and their parts. I also found that in Makati, BGC, and other places in the Philippines, charging stations have increased substantially, and a large part of them are fast-charging stations of BYD (which is an acronym for Build Your Dreams). Developing new energy has become a world trend, and the cooperation between China and the Philippines in this field will promote the energy security of the Philippines and contribute to its economic takeoff.

We need to strengthen people-to-people ties to keep China-Philippines relations as friendly as ever. Our two countries have formed an inseparable humanistic bond for thousands of years. The calls for enhancing people-to-people exchanges between the two countries are growing ever louder. I am glad that the short videos of Madam First Lady Liza Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte speaking Chinese went viral on social media, triggering a growing interest in learning Chinese in the Philippines. The Confucius Institutes have taken root in the Philippines and have trained many talents who master Chinese language skills. Dr. Cavin Pamintuan (Pei Gang), the Philippine Director of the Confucius Institute at the Angeles University Foundation, published an article in Chinese in People’s Daily recently, which is really commendable.

In terms of cross-border travel and exchanges, China remained the Philippines’ second-largest source of tourists, with 1.76 million Chinese people visiting this country in 2019. We believe the number of Chinese tourists to the Philippines will increase and surpass the pre-COVID levels. Recently, the Chinese Embassy has assisted over ten Filipino students to return to China to resume their studies. We welcome the return of more Filipino students to China at an early date. There is a saying in China that exchanges between relatives should be frequent. Our two countries need to take more concrete steps to increase people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and cement public support for China-Philippines friendship.

We need to properly handle differences to remove interference from China-Philippines relations. During the meeting in Bangkok, President Xi Jinping pointed out that on the South China Sea, the two sides should stick to friendly consultation and handle differences and disputes properly. President Marcos Jr. stressed his consistent view that relations between the two countries should not be defined by maritime issues and that both sides may further enhance communication in this regard. China’s position on the South China Sea issue has been clear and consistent. And we have always maintained that we should place our differences in the proper place in our overall relations and seek peaceful solutions through friendly consultations so that our overall relations will not be affected.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, participants of the symposium will hold in-depth discussions on the issues such as the achievements, opportunities and challenges of China-Philippines relations. Your insights and suggestions are welcomed and will be highly appreciated. As a Philippine proverb goes, “Seize today, or you will lose tomorrow.” Let’s draw wisdom and strength from history to forge ahead, and work together to usher in a new “golden age” in China-Philippines Relations.

I wish this symposium a complete success. Thank you and Mabuhay!