‘I need China more than anybody’

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte said yesterday that he foresees the relations between China and the Philippines will “bloom into something like a big and beautiful flower” in the coming months.

In a news conference before boarding the plane to attend the Boao Forum for Asia, Duterte vowed to enhance cooperation with China, saying the Philippines needs China “more than anything else at this time.”

He likened the ties “to a flower that would bloom into something big and beautiful,” he said. “The interconnectivity of our countries on all aspects of governance will come in, and we are ready to cooperate and help each other.”

Duterte thanked China anew for its support to his administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program, saying China is a vital part in his country’s ambitious infrastructure plan.

“I would say I need China more than anybody else at this time,” Duterte said, adding that the Philippines’ destiny is in Asia. The continent’s growth is expected to continue to rise to 2050 and account for more than half of the world’s GDP, he said.

“We must therefore continue our efforts to broaden and deepen the Philippines’ economic engagement and cooperation with our friends and neighbors. To make lives of our people more comfortable, we must harness the potential of shared growth in our region,” Duterte said.

At the BFA, Duterte said he plans to advance the Philippines’ interests in trade expansion and investment promotion, and he will reiterate the Philippines’ commitment to do more to attract more investment in the country, particularly in infrastructure innovation and interconnectivity.