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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Marcos' China trip is on; PH delegation will stay in 'bubble'

Marcos' China trip is on; PH delegation will stay in 'bubble'

Published Dec 29, 2022 02:13 pm

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. 's state visit to China will push through despite the growing concerns on the Covid situation in the foreign country.

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Noel Pabalate)

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Thursday, Dec. 29, that the state visit is "of great significance," thus it will push through as scheduled.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs considers the state visit of great significance," Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Neal Imperial said during the pre-departure briefing.

Despite the current Covid situation in China, the Foreign Affairs official ensured that the Philippine delegation will stay in a "bubble" to minimize the risk of exposure and will return the country unscathe.

"Ang ating ugnayang panlabas sa China ay napakaimportante (Our foreign relations with China is very important). And we have received assurances from our Chinese hosts that all arrangements are being made to ensure the safety of the President and his delegation during the visit," Imperial said.

"And a bubble arrangement has been agreed for the Philippine delegation to minimize the risk of exposure to the virus. May mga pagbisita talaga na hindi natin pwedeng i-postpone (There are visits that cannot be postponed)," he added.

It will be the first bilateral visit of Marcos to a non-ASEAN country since assuming the presidency and it will be the second face-to-face meeting of the President and Chinese President Xi Jinping in less than two months.

"With both leaders receiving a fresh mandate in recent elections, there is an expectation that the state visit will set the tone of bilateral relations between the two countries in the next five to six years," Imperial stated.

The Philippine delegation will include the President, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, secretaries from the DFA, Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and other Cabinet secretaries.

The President will depart from the country on Jan. 3 and will be back on Jan. 5.

He is scheduled to meet Xi on January 4 along with other Chinese officials.

According to the DFA, the state visit is also expected to reaffirm the cordial and neighborly relations between the Philippines and China, ensure continuity in many facets of the bilateral relationship, and chart new areas of engagements.

It is also expected to build on the growing trade and investment ties between the two economies as well as address security issues of mutual concern.

Ten to 14 bilateral agreements are expected to be signed during the visit. These agreements include trade and investment, agriculture, renewable energy, infrastructure development cooperation, people-to-people ties and maritime security cooperation.

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Bongbong Marcos state visit 122922 Covid19 china President Marcos
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