Duterte, Xi meet in Beijing; ‘Build, Build, Build’ on target
PRESIDENT Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping tackle this week ways to strengthen bilateral relations despite lingering territorial conflicts in the South China Sea. Focus on friendship and peace first before troubles, they have agreed.
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Xi has invited Duterte, together with other world leaders, to the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing (April 25-27), a multibillion-dollar infrastructure project seeking to revive China’s ancient trading route called the “Silk Road.”
“Silk Road” to peace, hopefully, Pinoys and Chinese wish.
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Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Meynardo Montealegre said the two leaders wish “to chart the course of further development of bilateral relations in various areas like defense, security, economics, and development as well as regional and international issues of mutual importance.”
Wide range of issues but not wild handling of them.
* ** Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo added the West Philippine Sea issue may also be raised in the meeting between Duterte and Xi.
“A mutually satisfactory solution,” is preferred, he said.
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Montealegre disclosed the two countries, with the participation of Chinese Premiere Li Keqiang, are finalizing bilateral accords on areas such as education, drug rehabilitation, anti-corruption, and Official Development Assistance (ODA).
Leaders’ talks on the sidelines of the Silk Road summit would help, he said.
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“With President Xi Jinping, they are expected of course to chart the course of further development of bilateral relations in various areas like defense, security, economics, and development as well as regional and international issues of mutual importance,” Montealegre said in an earlier Palace briefing.
“As far as the South China Sea, the Spratly that you have mentioned, the President has always been saying that we will stick to Philippine interest and positions but, as I said, I cannot preempt the specific discussion,” he added.
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Panelo pointed out the government seeks “a mutually satisfactory solution” to the territorial conflict through dialogue instead of the use of force after the government protested the presence of Chinese ships near Pag-asa Island and harassment of Filipino fishermen by Chinese coast guard personnel.
“We’re still friendly, cordial. While we are asserting our rights, we remain friendly,” he said.
*** Duterte asked China recently to lay off Pag-asa Island amid reports hundreds of Chinese vessels were swarming the Philippine-occupied area, adding he would deploy government troops on a “suicide mission” if Beijing touches the island.
But dialogue still preferable over the use of force, he said later.
*** Meanwhile,the government has commenced and inaugurated big-ticket projects under the “Build, Build, Build” program for the first quarter of the year, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said. On schedule, on target, he said.
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Villar cited the groundbreaking for Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, NLEX (North Luzon Expressway) – SLEX (South Luzon Expressway) Connector Road, Cavite Segment of Cavite-Laguna Expressway, and SLEX Toll Road 4, and inauguration of NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10.
“This year, we will also complete the remaining section of Tarlac-PangasinanLa Union Expressway and feasibility studies for the 19.2-kilometer PanayGuimaras-Negros Link Bridge as well as 23-kilometer Davao City Expressway,” he added.
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The DPWH will also construct a total of 1,101 kilometers of new high-standard highways and expressways in Luzon, Cebu, and Davao and the Luzon Spine Expressway Network as well.
The Luzon Spine Expressway Network project will “cut travel time from Ilocos to Bicol from 19 hours to just eight hours,” Villar said.
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In its accomplishment report, DPWH said it has completed the construction, maintenance, improvement, and rehabilitation of a total of 6,157 kilometers of national roads since July, 2016, when the “Build, Build, Build” program started.
Likewise, 2,680 bridges nationwide were also constructed and rehabilitated from July, 2016 to December, 2018, while 3,066 flood mitigation structures nationwide were completed during the same period, it added.
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Villar reported that the DPWH’s major accomplishments in the past year included the widening of Ma-a Bridge in Davao City, Anduyan Bridge in La Union, and the Plaridel By-Pass Road Phase II in Bulacan, and work on the NLEX Harbor Link, Pasig Marikina River Channel Project, Laguna Lake Expressway, the Cagayan de Oro Coastal Road, and rehabilitation of Boracay Circumferential Road. ***
“All these numbers translate to better, safer, and more efficient road network and an integrated seamless transport service to every Filipino around the country,” Villar added.