Xi pledges to lift Philippine ties further
In letter to Marcos, Chinese president vows friendly, long-term cooperation
President Xi Jinping said he is ready to work with new Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos to carry forward the two countries’ friendly cooperation.
Xi made the point in a letter sent to Marcos on June 30 congratulating him on his inauguration as president.
The letter is the third official interaction between Xi and Marcos since May.
Xi first sent a congratulatory message to Marcos on his election victory on May 11. A week later, they had a phone conversation and reached important consensus on the two countries’ upholding great neighborly friendship and joining hands for common development.
In his latest letter, Xi said he is willing to work with Marcos to handle the bilateral ties at a strategic height and with a long-term perspective, write new chapters for China-Philippines friendly cooperation in the new era, and benefit the two countries and their people.
Vice-President Wang Qishan led a delegation to the Philippines as special representative of President Xi and attended the inauguration ceremony in Manila.
In a meeting with Marcos after the ceremony, Wang relayed Xi’s letter to Marcos and conveyed Xi’s greetings and good wishes.
China has always prioritized the Philippines in its neighborhood diplomacy and looks forward to working with the new Philippine government to pass down friendship, bolster mutual trust, carry forward cooperation and push bilateral ties to a new “golden era”, Wang said.
Marcos was sworn in as the 17th President of the Philippines on June 30, officially starting his six-year term as head of a nation grappling with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising commodity prices and high fiscal deficit.
Widely known as “Bongbong” Marcos, the son of former president Ferdinand Marcos said the new administration is drawing up a comprehensive plan for economic transformation, aiming to put the country’s growth back on track.
The 64-year-old new leader emphasized two key priorities of his administration: food security and climate change.
His government will look for partners who will help the Philippines, which “despite having a very small carbon footprint is at the highest risk” from the impact of climate change.
Renato Redentor Constantino, executive director of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities in Manila, said Marcos’ decision to prioritize the country’s response to climate change “reflects the broader lens used by his leadership”.
But he said the colossal challenge that the Marcos government will have to face is “investor confidence and predictability of policies and market signals”.
Marcos said in his speech that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has threatened food security, noting that “the most vulnerable when it comes to food are the countries farthest away from the conflict.”
Enrico Gloria, assistant professor for political science at the University of the Philippines, said Marcos’ decision to take over the agriculture portfolio may be influenced by current disruption of the global food supply and rising food prices.
“The Philippines is not alone in that concern,” Gloria said, alluding to how the conflict has spiked food prices.
Meanwhile, Marcos also promised to continue his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte’s flagship infrastructure “Build, Build, Build” program.
During his meeting with Chinese Vice-President Wang, Marcos said he is ready to deepen engagement with Beijing in co-building the Belt and Road, join hands with China to tackle regional challenges, and bring bilateral ties to a higher level.
He fondly recalled traveling with his mother to China in 1974, and said the new Philippine government attaches great importance to relations with China.
On June 29, Wang had meetings with then outgoing Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte and Vice-Presidentelect Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Wang told Duterte that, thanks to the leadership of the two countries’ heads of state, bilateral ties achieved a turnaround and were improved and upgraded over the past six years.
Duterte said he cherishes his friendship with Xi and is willing to contribute more to friendly ties.