BEIJING, China --The Philippines and China inked 14 bilateral agreements on Wednesday, Jan. 4, during President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s three-day state visit here.
The signed deals include pacts on agriculture, infrastructure, development cooperation, maritime security, and tourism, among others.
The two countries signed a joint action plan for 2023-2025 on agricultural and fisheries cooperation between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, as well as a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Launched in 2013 by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the BRI is a global infrastructure development strategy of China to invest in nearly 150 countries and international organizations, enhancing connectivity and facilitate smoother trade flows between Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Manila and Beijing also agreed on the handover certificate of the Philippine-Sino Center for Agricultural Technology-Technological Cooperation Phase III (PHILSCAT-TCP III).
They also inked an MOU between the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China and the Philippines' Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on digital and information and communications technology (ICT) cooperation.
Both countries also agreed on a protocol of phytosanitary requirements for the export of fresh durians from the Philippines to China between the DA and China's General Administration of Customs.
Also sealed was the the handover certificate of two China-aid bridge projects in Manila, the Binondo-Intramuros bridge and the Estrella-Pantaleon bridge.
They also agreed on a framework agreement for the Renminbi-portion of the loan financing for three priority projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and sealed four loan agreements for the mixed-credit financing of three priority bridge projects under the public works department.
The Philippine and Chinese governments also agreed on the implementation of the MOU on tourism between the Philippines' Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China.
Both countries also sealed an MOU between the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Ministry of Commerce of China on electronic commerce cooperation; an MOU between the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and China's International Development Cooperation Agency on the Development Cooperation Plan 2023-2025; and an agreement on economic and technical cooperation between China and the Philippines.
The list also includes a mutual recognition agreement between the General Administration of Customs of China and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) of the Philippines on authorized economic operator program, and an arrangement for the establishment of a communication mechanism on maritime issues between the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippines and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.