"He ably served as intermediary between Beijing and Manila in forging enhanced economic cooperation."
"He ably served as intermediary between Beijing and Manila in forging enhanced economic cooperation."
I met outgoing Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua at a reception of their Embassy in Manila late last year. When we were introduced by one of his staff, he said: "I read you!" and broke into a wide smile as we shook hands and asked someone to take our picture.
Zhao was appointed as China's envoy to Manila in 2014, so he has already spent five years in the Philippines. He arrived in the country with impressive academic credentials and work experience.
After pursuing a Masteral degree in World Economy from Nankai University—a prestigious university in China—he completed another Masteral degree, this time in International Policy and Practice, at the Elliott School of International Affairs of George Washington University.
Zhao began his diplomatic career in 1990 as a Desk Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. Since then, he has served in various postings in Lebanon, Thailand, United Kingdom and Liberia, apart from holding various key positions in the MFA. In 2006-2007, he served as Vice Mayor of Hefei City, Anhui Province.
In the last five years, particularly since 2016, when the Duterte administration vowed to pursue an independent foreign policy, Ambassador Zhao had ably served as intermediary between Beijing and Manila in forging enhanced economic cooperation.
China is now the Philippines' top trading partner, the largest source of imports and exports market as well as the second largest tourist source.
Last year, our bilateral trade volume reached US$ 55.7 billion with an 8.5 percent year-on-year increase.
China has become one of the largest foreign investors in the Philippines, with US$66.62 million last year, up by 12.5 percent in 2017. More than 1.2-million Chinese tourists visited the Philippines last year.
Our two countries have also made considerable progress in synergizing Chinese President Xi Jinping Belt and Road Initiative and the Duterte administration's Build, Build, Build infrastructure program. China has provided US$398 million in grants and US$273 million in soft loans to the Philippines to support this program and another US$421 million in grants will be provided from 2019-2022.
Since President Rodrigo Duterte opted to set aside for the meantime the ruling favorable to the Philippines of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on the territorial dispute in the South China Sea, China and the Philippines are now discussing contentious issues through existing mechanisms such as the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea and Joint Coast Guard Committee to properly manage our differences.
Thanks also to Zhao's efforts, the two countries are making concerted efforts to promote substantial progress in the joint exploration of oil and gas.
China has pledged to continue to support the Philippines as country coordinator of China-ASEAN dialogue relations. Ambassador Zhao has also taken part in consultations for the conclusion of a Code of Conduct aimed at turning the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and prosperity.
As a token of appreciation for his role in enhancing bilateral relations, President Rodrigo Duterte conferred the Order of Sikatuna with the Rank of Datu on Ambassador Zhao during his farewell call on the President at Malacañan Palace on Oct. 28.
On Monday, Zhao paid a farewell call on House Speaker Peter Cayetano and expressed his gratitude for the House leader's contributions to strengthening friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. He said that parliamentary exchanges served to deepen bilateral relations and the friendship between the two peoples. Our bilateral ties have been upgraded to Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation.
Before the meeting, the House of the Representatives passed Resolution No. 474, introduced by Cayetano, honoring the work and contribution of Ambassador Zhao in fostering stronger Philippines-China bilateral relations and conferring on him the Congressional Medal of Achievement.
In his remarks at the reception in Makati City last September marking the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, Zhao expressed his fond hope for the "sustained, sound and stable growth of China-Philippines relations" in the years ahead.
His successor, whose name has yet to be announced, will no doubt continue the work began by Zhao and quite possibly usher in a new era in bilateral relations. But the incoming envoy would also have to deal with a host of challenges: Apart from the territorial dispute in the South China Sea, there's access by Filipino fisherfolk to disputed areas, the big number of Chinese nationals in online gambling, and the involvement of their citizens in criminal/illegal activities in the country, all of which contribute to what surveys indicate is distrust by many Filipinos of China.
In any event, we extend our best wishes to Ambassador Zhao as he takes on a new assignment from the Foreign Ministry.
ernhil@yahoo.com