Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian has urged Filipinos and Chinese alike to “seek cooperation instead of confrontation” as both nations marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
China envoy urges cooperation over conflict as PH-China ties mark 50 years
At A Glance
- Huang said that the two countries are inseparable.
Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian (RTVM Screenshot)
Speaking at the lighting ceremony of the historic Jones Bridge in Manila — a symbolic event to commemorate the golden jubilee of the Philippines-China relationship — Huang said that the two countries are inseparable.
“China and the Philippines are close neighbors that cannot move apart. Good neighborliness serves the fundamental interests of our two peoples,” he said on Saturday evening, June 7.
“It is our sincere hope that more and more people will join our efforts to bring our relationship back to an even better future,” he added.
The event, led by President Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, Cabinet officials, and leaders of the Filipino-Chinese business community.
Huang lauded the contributions of the Filipino-Chinese community to the Philippines' economic development and cultural richness.
“Chinese Filipinos have made tremendous contributions to the national liberation and independence, and the Philippines' economic development and cultural richness,” he said.
“They are true stakeholders and rightful protagonists in this multi-society, and whose participation and contribution should be well-valued and cherished,” he added.
The ambassador also expressed gratitude to the Chinese engineers who worked on the lighting project and to the First Lady for leading the revitalization effort.
“Without the generous support of the Filipino-Chinese community, this project should have never come true,” Huang said.
The lighting ceremony of the Jones Bridge, a collaboration between the Philippine government and the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, was part of a broader push to restore Binondo and celebrate its cultural and historical importance.
In a statement, Malacañang said this year’s celebration “highlights people-to-people exchanges” and reaffirms the “deep-rooted ties between the Filipino and Chinese communities.”