THE government is seeking Chinese grants to finance the feasibility studies on 12 big-ticket infrastructure projects of the Duterte administration.
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Friday the government submitted to the new aid agency of China—the China International Development Cooperation Agency—an indicative list of 12 infrastructure projects that would undergo feasibility studies with possible financing from China.
An agreement was also reached in a meeting last week between a Cabinet-level delegation from Manila and CIDCA chairman Wang Xiaotao, in which Beijing will provide a $13.4-million grant to fund the feasibility study of the proposed bridge project that will link the islands of Panay, Guimaras and Negros in the Visayas region.
The exchange of letters for the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridge Project was signed by Wang and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar during the meeting held at the CIDCA headquarters in Beijing last week.
Following the meeting with CIDCA, the Philippine delegation met with Export-Import Bank of China chairperson Hu Xiaolin to further discuss loan financing and co-financing arrangements for the Philippines’ infrastructure projects.
Wang said the Philippine delegation led by Dominguez was “the first high-level delegation” that CIDCA had received since its establishment in April this year.
“This truly shows that China gives great importance to the promotion of its bilateral relations with the Philippines,” Wang said during the meeting as he assured the delegation that through CIDCA, China will continue to provide assistance to the Philippines “in the direction determined by the leaders of both our countries.”
The other members of the Philippine delegation included Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno and other senior government officials.
CIDCA deputy chairman Zhou Liujun and Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua and other officials were also present.