Celebrating This Year’s Spring Festival
Last January 25, 2024, Consul General Zhang Zhen of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Cebu hosted a New Year Reception and invited members of Cebu’s media corps to a briefing on issues of common concern. It was held at the Caspian Room of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino.
I arrived at 6:00 PM and immediately took photos to document the food prepared for the celebration. There were four food stations and the first table displayed the following: Veggies & Mushroom Spring Roll, Pomelo Salad with Shrimp, Peanuts, & Sesame Seeds, Bacon Salad (White Cabbage, Red Cabbage & Raisins), and the Soup, Cream Corn and Crab Meat Chowder.
The second table had the following Main Dishes: Braised Beef in Mustard Red Wine Sauce, Braised Chicken with Mixed Mushrooms, Fried Fish Fillet with Ginger & Coriander Sauce, Lasagna Bolognese, and Fried Cabbage in Oyster Sauce.
Cebu Lechon was placed at the Carving Station, while the Dessert Station had the following: Tiramisu Cake, Cheese Cake, and Fresh Fruits.
A red wine, Resalte, Ribera del Duero, Vendemia Seleccionada 2015, was served.
At 6:45 pm, Consul General Zhang Zhen began the media briefing by welcoming the coming of 2024, the Year of the Dragon. The Consul discussed extensively the China-Philippines Friendship and Cooperation’s One Goal, One Platform, Three Approaches and Three Leads.
Consul General Zhang strongly upheld the One China principle that there is one sovereign nation with the name China. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) with the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is the sole legitimate government of China and Taiwan is a province of China.
Later, I read that on October 25, 1971, the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 recognized the People’s Republic of China as “the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations”. This document is commonly known as the one-China principle.
My seatmate said that president Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in an interview with GMA News on January 24, said that "The One-China policy remains in place. We have adhered to the One-China policy strictly and conscientiously since we adopted (it)."
"We are not endorsing Taiwanese independence. Taiwan is a province of China."
After the media briefing, Ms. Ethel Natera of the Chinese Consulate went to the podium and videos were played showing the progress that China has made as the world’s secondlargest economy. She then declared that dinner was ready.
I drank another glass of Resalte, Vendemia Seleccionada 2015, and paired it with the Main Dishes including Cebu Lechon. I was surprised that the red wine was best paired with the Fried Fish Fillet!