Despite the tensions between the Philippines and China, Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian described the two countries as “neighbors that cannot move apart.”
Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian (Photo from Amb. Huang via Facebook)
In a post on Facebook on Monday, June 9, the envoy marked a “historic milestone”—the 50th anniversary of China-Philippines diplomatic relations and the 24th China-Philippines Friendship Day.
“We are neighbors that cannot move apart. Good-neighborliness serves the fundamental interests of both peoples,” he wrote.
Huang expressed hope that people will help bring the China-Philippines relations to a “better future.”
“It is our sincere hope that more and more people will join our efforts to bring China-Philippines relations into a better future of healthy and stable development,” he added.
During the golden jubilee of the two countries ties, the Chinese envoy said “we have every reason to revisit the original vision of our forefathers, follow the heartfelt wishes of our two peoples, and seek cooperation instead of confrontation, dialogue instead of conflict.”
The Philippine Embassy in China, on the other hand, came up with a #MadeItInChina online series, which intends to highlight the work done by Filipinos based in China, as well as their contributions to their respective communities and professions.
The series, which featured more than 50 overseas-based Filipinos, ran from January to June 2025.
China and the Philippines have been at loggerheads over the resource-rich waters of the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety.
The Philippines secured an arbitral victory in 2016, which China continues to reject.