'The next China is still China' – Ambassador Huang Xilian
ON the heels of China's Two Sessions — annual meetings of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which began on March 4, 2024 and concluded on March 10, and the National People's Congress (NPC), which opened on March 5, and concluded on March 11, 2024, the Association for Philippines-China Understanding (APCU) and the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Philippines organized the 11th Manila Forum for Philippines-China Relations.
Presented by the New Era University (NEU) School of International Relations China Studies Center on March 21, 2024 at the NEU School of Management, the Manila Forum was held at the Quezon City-based Iglesia Ni Cristo-run academic institution for the second consecutive year.
“New Era University, with its China Studies program, can help a lot in ushering understanding between China and the Philippines [and the two countries'] respective peoples through cultural, academic and business exchanges,” Special Envoy of the President to the People's Republic of China for Trade, Investment and Tourism Benito Techico said in his remarks.
With the Western media pointing out that China could be somewhat different in this new era, Ambassador of China to the Philippines Huang Xilian emphasized that “The Next China Is Still China” in his keynote address.
China's current economic situation
Acknowledging government and university officials and other attendees at the forum, the Chinese Ambassador gave a comprehensive account about the Two Sessions that concluded almost two weeks ago.
“As you all know, back in China, we just concluded the annual plenary sessions of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) last week. The 'Two Sessions' have been followed closely by the international community, including the Philippines,” he remarked.
“From the 'Two Sessions,' one may feel the resilience and vitality of China’s economic and social development, may get an idea of China’s confidence in facing challenges and forging ahead, and will witness China’s action of sharing development opportunities and commitment to working together with the rest of the world. The center of all this attention is China’s economy,” the Ambassador continued.
According to him, there are three key features or key words on China’s current economic situation.
The first is the five-percent growth target. “The Chinese government proposes an expected growth target of around 5 percent for China’s economy in 2024. This increase is equivalent to twice the size of the Philippines’ GDP. The figure is not only higher than the previous IMF and World Bank forecast for China, but also far exceeds the IMF’s growth forecast for the US and the EU,” he informed.
Some international media suggest that in a world of uncertainty, China’s ambitious target of five-percent growth rate demonstrates its strong economic resilience, potential and vitality, he continued.
“In support of such a projection, the Chinese economy has been showing a growing number of positive factors since beginning of this year. During the Chinese New Year holiday last month, there were 2.29 billion cross-region trips, with domestic tourists spending more than 632.6 billion RMB yuan, an increase of 7.7 percent on a comparable basis than the same period in 2019. In the first two months this year, China’s total trade in goods hit 6.61 trillion yuan, a yearon-year increase of 8.7 percent. As China’s economy grows with a sound momentum, stability and confidence will be injected into the development of the world economy,” Ambassador Huan explained.
The second of these three key features is “new quality productive forces.”
“China’s development is not only characterized by growth in quantity but also by improvement in quality. Emerging industries are flourishing, green transformation has yielded remarkable results, new demands and new forms of business have occurred, and new quality productive forces are being formed quickly. The important notion of new quality productive forces guides the Chinese economy to break new ground,” he said.
“When attending the deliberation during the Two Sessions, President Xi Jinping stressed that we should stay committed to the priority of high-quality development, and develop new quality productive forces based on local conditions,” the Ambassador related.
Government Work Report
Huang further informed that “for the first time, it is put forward in this year’s Government Work Report that we should strive to modernize the industrial system and develop new quality productive forces at a faster pace.”
“Last year, exports of the 'new trio,' namely electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products exceeded one trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 30 percent. Last year also witnessed accelerated development of the digital economy, with half of our population using 5G,” he said.
“The application of international patents by Chinese applicants through the Patent Cooperation Treaty topped the world for four consecutive years. The new quality productive forces have taken shape and strongly boosted and supported high-quality development.”
High-level opening to the outside world
New ways to expand higher-standard opening-up showcase China’s resolve to share opportunities with the world, he said.
Against the backdrop of a global downturn in cross-border investment and increasingly fierce international competition in attracting capital, foreign investment flowing into China in 2023 remained in the realm of trillions of RMB, the third highest level in history. The total tariff level in China has lowered to 7.3 percent, which is equivalent to that of developed members of the World Trade Organization,” he noted.
On the other hand, the negative list of access of foreign investment to China has been reduced to below 31 items, with full openness in the manufacturing industry, and the opening up of the service industry accelerated.
“The Chinese return on foreign investment still ranks among the top in the world. Going forward, China will actively align with high standard international economic and trade rules, steadily expand institutional opening up, promote steady improvement in both quantity and quality of foreign trade, and redouble efforts to attract foreign investment,” he further informed.
Figures show that in last January alone, 4,588 new foreign-invested businesses were established in China, which marks an increase of 74.4 percent year-on-year. According to the latest survey by the German Chamber of Commerce in China, 91 percent of German businesses will continue to invest in China. According to a report by the American Chamber of Commerce in South China, 76 percent of the companies interviewed plan to invest again in China in 2024.
“More and more multinational businesses are recognizing that investing in China is investing in a future of win-win results. What China pursues is not an exclusive modernization, but an inclusive globalization that allows different countries, different classes, and different groups of people to participate in and enjoy the fruits of economic and social development. We expect such a globalization will unleash the vitality and power of global economic growth, and help to achieve common prosperity,” Ambassador Huang stressed.
As “China and the Philippines are both developing countries and emerging economies in Asia, [and] despite different national conditions and systems, we pursue similar development goals, complement each other's strengths, and have enormous potential for mutually-beneficial cooperation.”
Citing 2023 statistics from the Philippines, total import and export volume of foreign trade was about $200 billion, a year-on-year decrease of eight percent. While the trade volume between the Philippines and other major trading partners has significantly decreased, China-Philippines trade continues to rise in defiance of the trend, reaching a total of $40 billion, a year-on-year increase of 2.7 percent.
“China has been the largest trading partner of the Philippines for eight consecutive years, and investment in the Philippines has also maintained rapid growth, making it one of the largest sources of investment. The Chinese and the Philippine economy are both part of the global value, industrial, and supply chains. We have formed a deeply-intertwined pattern of interests,” he conveyed.
'The next China is still China'
Ambassador Huang echoed what was pronounced at the Two Sessions in Beijing.
“For the world, the next 'China' is still China. China’s development cannot be separated from the world, while the development of the world cannot happen without China. Talking down on China will only backfire, and misjudging China will only squander opportunities,” he said.
He concluded that with the 11th Manila Forum, “we gain insights into the trends of China’s growth, the world’s economic situation, and the opportunities and inspirations they bring to the Philippines’ socioeconomic development.”
Other speakers
New Era University President Alberto Domingo Jr. welcomed guests and participants to the forum.
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Eunina Mangio, who is also Liberia honorary consul, shared her experience in trading with Chinese businesses while Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) director general Tereso Panga and Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) Honorary Chairman and President Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. delivered their addresses via video message.
Bank of China Country Head and Chinese Enterprises Philippine Association President Hu Xinquan delivered a message as well, with APCU Chairman and President Raul Lambino giving the closing remarks.
Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. President Cecilio Pedro was not able to make it due to unforeseen circumstances.
With the question-and-answer session with the media, The Manila Times columnist and De La Salle University Prof. Austin Ong, who is also an officer of the Philippines China Friendship Society, and NEU School of International Relations Dean Carlos Tabunda Jr. served as moderators.
The NEU Choir sang both the Philippine and Chinese National Anthems and rendered beloved Filipino songs while lunch was being served.
Earlier in the day, the NEU China Studies Center also celebrated its first anniversary at the same venue. The Glee Club rendered the anthems. Tabunda delivered the opening remarks with messages from Techico and Ambassador Huang. Domingo closed the program.
Current APCU board of directors and officers are former President Gloria MacapagalArroyo, Chairman Emeritus; Raul Lambino, Trustee and Chairman of the Board; Jeffrey Ng, Trustee and First Vice Chairman; Felix Guanzon, Trustee and Second Vice Chairman; Sixto Benedicto, Trustee and President; Peter Laviña, Trustee and Executive Vice President; Ma. Fee Kristine Cai, Trustee and Vice President, International Affairs; Fernando Tiong, Trustee and Vice President, Northern Luzon; Lt. Col. Bernie Miaque, Trustee and Vice President, Visayas; Peter Laviña, Trustee and Vice President, Mindanao; Wilson Flores, Trustee and Vice President, National Capital Region; MGen. Fernando Pace, Trustee and Treasurer; Lt. Col. Bernie Miaque, Trustee and Secretary General; and Anna Rosario Malindog-Uy, Trustee and Depuy Secretary General.
The APCU Committees are headed by Lt. Col. Bernie Miaque, Membership; Fernando Pace, Ways and Means; Anna Rosario MalindogUy, Information Technology; Alejandro Co, Trade and Commerce; Ching Tam Cua, Council of Elders; Herman Laurel, Advocacy; Adolfo Paglinawan, APCU Institute; and Rudy Ngo, Executive Director, Administrative Office; and Lara Caterina Pace, Administrative Assistant.