President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said that the Philippines will depend "more than ever" on its relationship with China as he vowed to exert more effort in bolstering the two countries' ties.
President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. shares a conversation with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian during the Award for promoting Philippines-China Understanding (APPCU) awarding ceremony held at The Manila Hotel on June 8, 2023. (Ali Vicoy)
Speaking at the Award for Promoting Philippines-China Understanding (APPCU) awarding ceremony on Thursday, June 8, Marcos said the country intends to make the bilateral relations of the Philippines and China more comprehensive and strategic.
"We will exert our utmost effort to strengthen this relationship. We will strive to make it more comprehensive, more strategic, all with the view to advancing the paramount interest of both our nations and our peoples," Marcos said in his speech.
"All in all, we will draw collective inspiration and firmer resolve from these proceedings, we will depend on this relationship more than ever as we pushed towards a half century of our diplomatic relationship," he added.
In a media interview, Marcos stressed that the country "has not shifted away" from China, and it intends to work with its long-standing trade partner to resolve challenges that they jointly face.
He reiterated that the two countries' relationship must not be defined by their innate differences but must rather be bound by similarities and common goals.
"But we recognize in the Philippines the commitment of President Xi and the People’s Republic of China to overcome such difficulties and I can assure our good Ambassador here that that commitment also is present in the Philippines’ efforts to bring us closer together —the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China. So let us be bound rather by our similarities, our common purpose, our shared goals,” the President said.
"We will pursue constant dialogue and an amicable approach to our decision making and the resolution of issues," he added.
During his speech, the President has also called on APPCU to assist the government in this effort and to serve "as exemplars for our countrymen to emulate and to provide a spark to generate and spread goodwill between our countries and our people."
Marcos said the event is a fitting prelude to the celebration of the 48th year of the formal establishment of the Philippines-China relations, which has been a boon to Philippines’ economic strength over the years.
He further said that China has been the country’s top partner in terms of total trade: ranking first as its import source; and, second, as Philippines’ export destination. China and its Special Administrative Regions are also second-home to a substantial number of Overseas Filipinos.
The President also appreciated the Association for Philippines-China Understanding’s (APCU) initiative for organizing the event, and honored former Presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Rodrigo Roa Duterte for their achievements and contributions to the country’s development.
APPCU, a joint undertaking spearheaded by the APCU and the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines, is a novel award-giving body that pays special tribute to Filipinos who have made efforts in strengthening friendly ties and promoting mutual understanding between the Philippines and China, using their respective advocacy and expertise in the various fields and disciplines such mass media and public service; trade and commerce; and, arts, culture, and the sciences.