Former President and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo told visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping Wednesday that she sees China playing a major role in the Philippines’ infrastructure buildup.
“Infrastructure will be very important for the Philippines in the coming years and there is no country in the world that matches China’s recent track record and capability in this area,” Arroyo said during a courtesy call on Xi at his hotel Wednesday.
Arroyo told Xi that the Philippines “really can learn much from China’s impressive growth during the last 40 years.” She said China has shown the world “that rapid economic growth and modernization is possible through a combination of vision, political will, and open and responsible relations with other nations.”
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“China has done in 40 years what other countries might take 200 years to do, so we congratulate you for that. It is good for China, it is good for the Philippines, it is good for the world,” Arroyo said.
Arroyo recalled that when she was president, the Philippines forged closer relations with China and signed a joint exploration agreement on the West Philippine Sea.
The constitutionality of the agreement, however, was challenged before the Supreme Court, which has yet to rule on issue.
Arroyo led a delegation of lawmakers that included Senate President Vicente Sotto III on her courtesy call on Xi on the last day of his visit.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. cited the “bonanza” secured by the Philippines, ranging from concessional financing for the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program to joint oil and gas exploration plus stronger cooperation in education and agriculture with China.
Villafuerte made the statement following Xi’s two-day state visit to Manila, saying the agreements “reinforce the revitalized bilateral partnership between the Philippines and China.”
President Duterte and President Xi witnessed in Malacañang the exchange of 29 agreements last Nov. 20. These were a mix of bilateral accords, letters and commercial contracts, including nine on infrastructure development, one on joint oil and gas exploration in the West Philippine Sea, and another on the follow-up float of the country’s “Panda” or renminbi-denominated bonds in China.
The long list also included memoranda of understanding (MOUs) on China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), cooperation on industrial parks development, infrastructure cooperation, and feasibility study support for major projects; protocol for the export of fresh young coconuts from the Philippines to China; MOU on strengthening agricultural cooperatives; commercial contracts on the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project and the first phase of the Safe Philippines Project; and a cultural exchange agreement, cooperation on basic education and on information technology.
READ: Arroyo upbeat about Xi’s visit