AIIB chief to address Manila Forum for Chinese investors
CHINESE investors are expected to attend a public-private forum on Wednesday to see how they can do business in the Philippines in time for its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Association for Philippines-china Understanding (Apcu) and the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines will hold the first Manila Forum for Philippines-china relations on Wednesday. For its initial run, the forum will focus on the topic of “Joining Hands to Boost Economic Recovery from Covid-19.”
In a statement, the Apcu announced it has invited Jin Liqun, president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), as speaker for the forum.
Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez and Ambassador of China to the Philippines Huang Xilian will open the discussions that will be held through virtual conference. Liqun, for his part, is tasked to talk about how cooperation between the two countries can accelerate the bounce back of their respective economies.
Apcu Chairman Emeritus and former President Gloria Macapagal-arroyo will deliver a message as well, while Apcu Chairman and Cagayan Economic Zone Authority Administrator and CEO Raul L. Lambino will close the program.
Businessmen and investors from both the Philippines and China are scheduled to attend the Manila Forum to see the industries where they can operate. Likewise, they look to take advantage of the forum as a platform to learn the prospects of investing in the Philippines.
In January, Arroyo, along with Chinese State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, attended the official launch of the Manila Forum through a virtual platform.
Apcu said it created the Manila Forum as an avenue to strengthen the ties and understanding between the Philippines and China. The forum was founded by Apcu and the Chinese Embassy here with the goal of enhancing the mutual trust, promoting cooperation and resolving differences between the two Asian countries.
Under President Duterte, the Philippines has established closer ties with China in spite of a longstanding dispute on maritime control in the South China Sea.
On Sunday, China’s Sinovac was the first Covid-19 vaccine to arrive in the country—a donation by Beijing—as the government struggles to buy doses from Western manufacturers on supply shortage. However, some health-care experts have warned against the use of Sinovac for China’s refusal to publish crucial results for the vaccine’s efficacy. Philippine health officials explained that the 51-percent efficacy rate frequently attributed to Sinovac pertains to mild cases, but that the vaccine is effective for preventing moderate to serious infections which could sometimes result in death.