The forum Initiated by Anson International, supported by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, co-hosted by China Service Center for Friendship and Cooperation with Foreign Countries, the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines,Shaanxi People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Foreign Affairs Office of Xi’an Municipal People’s Government, organized by Baigongfang Handcrafts Museum and Shaanxi Wanzhi Media Technology Co., Ltd.
YuanMindao, Secretary General of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries,H.E. Jose Santiago L. Sta. Romana, Philippine Ambassador to China, Zhao Gang, Vice Governor of Shaanxi Provincial People's Government and Yu Sufujiang, Executive Deputy Mayor of Xi'an City attended the forum and delivered a speech. More than 100 representatives of Shaanxi Provincial Department of Commerce, Department of Culture and Tourism, CCPIT, Foreign Affairs Offices of various cities,Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries of various provinces, experts and scholars and enterprises representatives attended the meeting.
Yuan said in his speech that China and the Philippines, facing each other across the sea, have been close neighbors for thousands of years. In recent years, there have been frequent high-level exchanges between the two countries. President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the Philippines and President Duterte visited China twice to attend the "Belt and Road" Forum for International Cooperation. The two heads of state jointly mapped out the future development of bilateral relations and agreed to establish China-Philippines comprehensive strategic cooperative relations on the basis of mutual respect, honest, equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. This year marks the 45th anniversary of China-Philippines diplomatic ties. Over the past 45 years, thanks to the joint efforts, bilateral cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results. China is the Philippines' largest trading partner, third largest export market and largest source of imports. Last year, 1.74 million tourists from the Chinese mainland visited the Philippines, making it the second largest source of tourists to the country. Earlier this year, after the outbreak of COVID-19, the Chinese and Philippine governments and people offered each other a helping hand and worked together to combat the pandemic, illustrating the friendship of close neighbors who support each other. China-Philippines relations have opened a new chapter, bringing benefits to the two peoples and contributing to regional peace and stability.
Yuan said the RCEP (Regional Economic Comprehensive Partnership Agreement) was officially signed on November 15, marking the official launch of the world's largest free trade area with the largest population, economic volume and trade scale, and the greatest development potential, which will inject strong impetus to regional and global economic growth. As both emerging market economies in Asia, China and the Philippines enjoy great potential for exchanges and cooperation in the areas of economy, trade, education, culture and tourism. It is believed that through this forum, Shaanxi and the Philippines will further expand exchanges and deepen cooperation, and make new contributions to pushing China-Philippines exchanges to a larger scale, a wider field and a deeper level, so that the two countries will always be good neighbors, friends and partners, and share development and prosperity.
Ambassador Romana said that 45 years ago, the Philippines and China established diplomatic relations based on the common desire for peace, stability and prosperity. Since then, we have respected each other and promoted cooperation. Especially in the area of trade and economic cooperation, the relationship between the Philippines and China has become closer and closer over time. China has successfully brought the COVID-19 pandemic under control and successfully resumed production, setting a good example for us. I firmly believe that the epidemic will eventually pass and Philippines-China cooperation will play an important role in the Philippines' efforts to restore economic growth.
Vice Governor Zhao Gang said in his speech that after the COVID-19 outbreak this year, the governor of Batangas Province of the Philippines, a sister city of Shaanxi Province, immediately sent condolences. Later, with the spread of the epidemic, the two sides donated anti-epidemic materials to each other, fully demonstrating the friendship of helping each other and overcoming difficulties together. He hoped to take the opportunity of the forum to further deepen practical cooperation between Shaanxi and the Philippines at a higher level and in a wider range of areas, so as to achieve mutual benefit and common development. Vice Mayor Yu Sufujiang proposed that the Philippines and Xi 'an promote economic and trade cooperation in an all-round way, deepen cooperation in the field of tourism and actively conduct exchanges and cooperation in the field of education.
At the forum, Ambassador Romana led the senior diplomats of the Philippine Embassy in China, including Commercial Counsellor Glen, Agriculture Counsellor Anna, Tourism Counsellor Elvin, to introduce the investment and trade cooperation opportunities in the Philippines. Chinese and Philippine enterprises, including New Hope, Liwaikia and SM Group, shared their successful experience in investment in the two countries and their future development plans.
During the forum, Batangas International Trade Center of the Philippines and CCCE Construction Engineering Co.,Ltd signed a strategic cooperation agreement, and Xi'an Railway Vocational & Technical Institute submitted an intent to the Philippine Embassy in China.
After the Forum, Ambassador Romana and his delegation visited Xi 'an Interantional University, Xi'an Railway Vocational & Technical Institute, BYD Automobile Industry Co., Ltd and other enterprises.
