President stresses need to enhance ties with Manila

President Xi Jinping has called on the Philippines to continue to uphold an independent foreign policy to carry forward the momentum of peaceful development in the region.

In a telephone conversation with Philippine President-elect Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos on Wednesday, Xi also underlined the need for the two countries to boost bilateral cooperation in various fields to promote the development and revitalization of both countries and the region.

Their phone conversation came around a week after Marcos won the Philippine presidential election. He is scheduled to take office on June 30.

Xi called Marcos a builder, supporter and promoter of China-Philippines friendship, and he urged both countries to carry forward their traditional friendship and work together to usher in an even brighter future for bilateral ties.

The Chinese president commended the development of relations between Beijing and Manila over the past six years, saying that both countries have opted for dialogue and consultation to effectively manage their differences, and actively advanced pragmatic cooperation in various fields with fruitful achievements in bilateral ties.

It has been proved that friendship between China and the Philippines meets the common aspirations of the two peoples and the countries' cooperation conforms to the shared interests of the two peoples, Xi said.

He stressed that China gives priority to its relations with the Philippines in its neighborhood diplomacy, and maintains continuity and stability in its policy of friendship toward Manila.

Xi proposed strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fields of infrastructure, agriculture, energy and education, with a focus on COVID-19 response and post-pandemic recovery. China will continue to provide support and aid to the Philippines to help with its socioeconomic development, he added.

Noting that the world faces new challenges in peace and security, Xi said that China and the Philippines are developing countries, and their growth relies on a good-neighborly environment and the big Asian family upholding win-win cooperation.

He expressed his hope that the Philippines will continue to pursue an independent foreign policy, and said China is ready to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with the Philippines on major international and regional affairs to promote regional peace and development.

Marcos recalled his connections and exchanges with China, saying that the Philippine people consider China as one of their most important partners.

The new Philippine government will attach great importance to Philippine-China relations in its foreign policy, and is willing to strengthen exchanges with China and intensify bilateral cooperation in various fields, he said.

Noting that he is looking forward to the more robust development of an even better Philippine-China relationship, Marcos said that he is ready to work with China to keep giving a new and strong impetus to the development of bilateral ties.

China and the Philippines have established a comprehensive strategic cooperative relationship in recent years, and they have deepened the synergy between the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Philippines' "Build, Build, Build" infrastructure program, while bilateral trade has flourished.

Their proper handling of the South China Sea issue has also laid an important foundation for China-Philippines friendly cooperation.

Against the headwinds of rising global challenges, observers said that it is more important than ever for China and the Philippines to consolidate their friendship and cooperation, properly manage their differences and jointly safeguard the region's hard-won peace and stability.

Freddie Reidy, a London-based freelance writer specializing in international politics, said the Philippines has long been a location of interest for the United States, but the incoming administration wants to view relations with China on its own terms and not as a binary choice between Beijing and Washington.

"It is likely that in the course of pursuing strong bilateral relations with other nations while focusing on the domestic agenda, Manila will seek to develop economic ties with China," Reidy said in an opinion piece published on the website of China Global Television Network.