Paduano backs better Ph-china trade, investment

HOUSE Deputy Minority Floor Leader Joseph Stephen Paduano stressed the importance of closer trade and investment cooperation between China and the Philippines.

Paduano was among invited Philippine officials who addressed Wednesday afternoon (June 30) an online conference with party leaders of China, aimed at promoting cooperation between China and the Philippines.

The conference was also designed to identify measures against the coronavirus pandemic and facilitate economic growth and people’s livelihood, as well as improved relations between the two countries.

Paduano, representing the Partylist Coalition Foundation Inc. with 53 strong members in the House of Representatives, was the lone PCFI delegate who tackled all the three phases of the online conference.

He also signed the “China-philippines Political Parties Joint Statement in Support of High Quality Belt and Road Cooperation” which will further push economic and investment cooperation.

Jerry Liu, Deputy Director, Division for Southeast Asian Affairs, Bureau 1 of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) invited Abang Lingkod partylist Rep. Paduano to the First Meeting of Chinaphilippines Political Parties Belt and Road Consultation, “to carry out in-depth exchanges as well as propose constructive suggestions over mitigating the impact of the pandemic and recovering economic development through continuously promoting high-quality BRI cooperation.”

Liu said the conference conducted through Zoom was “to build consensus, advance bilateral practical cooperation and improve people’s well-being... to serve as a new platform for exchanges and cooperation between China-philippines political parties in handling the pandemic and recovering economic development under the new circumstances.”

The theme of the conference was “Jointly Promote BRI Cooperation and Facilitate Economy and People’s Livelihood.”

BRI is China’s program that aims to bolster connectivity in Asia, Africa, and Europe through trade and investments in infrastructure, following the ancient trade route called Silk Road. It is a program that emphasizes cooperation and closer ties between nations.

“In recent years, the BRI cooperation between China and the Philippines has deepend to a large extent the bilateral cooperation in various fields, facal cilitated the development of economy and people’s livelihood in the Philippines and made positive contributions to delivering benefits to the two peoples and promoting regional prosperity and stability,” Liu said.

“Since the beginning of this year, the pandemic has posed a huge threat and caused great losses to the peoples and severely affected the economic and social development of our two countries. As political parties, we are tasked with the heavy responsibilities of improving people’s well-being, promoting economic and social development and safeguarding public health security,” Liu added.

Also joining the politiparties consultation and round table discussions were IDCPC Vice Minister Guo Yezhou, IDCPC Minister Song Tao, Pdp-laban President Sen. Koko Pimentel III, Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu of the Nacionalist Party, Atty. Sdaniel Laogan who read the speech of Senate President Vicente Sotto of the National people’s Coalition;

IDCPC Bureau I Director General Sun Haiyan, National Development and Reform Commission of China’s Wang Haifengh; Zheijang Province Department of Commerce’s Xu Gaochun; China Chamber of International Commerce Representative Xiong Tao; and, Pdp-laban Vice President Sec. Raul Lambino.*