DAVAO City—Officials from Shanghai have promised “improved relations and more exchanges” between China’s biggest city and the southeastern coastal city of Davao, following the visit there last week of Filipinos.
Shanghai Vice Mayor Chen Yin assured Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte of more ‘exchanges’ between their cities, noting the positive outcome of the recent visit of President Rodrigo Duterte in China.
Shanghai, on China’s central coast, is the country’s biggest city and a global financial hub, whose heart is the Bund, a famed waterfront promenade lined with colonial-era buildings.
Davao, the Philippines’ third most populous city and the most populous in Mindanao and the main trade, commerce and industry hub of the country’s second largest island, is known as the durian capital of the country.
“The visit of President Duterte greatly improved our bilateral relations and brought up many opportunities and exchanges,” Chen said.
He hoped the improved relations between China and the Philippines would benefit cities like Davao, adding “I am sure that with great support from our governments, we can make contributions to our relationship and cooperation.”
He told the Davao City vice mayor that Shanghai was also committed to strengthen its relationship with the Philippine city.
Duterte noted how Davao City was determined to improve the livelihood of the people by welcoming investments that could result in the generation of jobs and economic growth.
“Davao City is determined to work harder to change the lives of our people for the better,” he said.
He cited Davao’s competitiveness and potentials, particularly in tourism, agriculture, property development, energy, transportation infrastructure, and information and communications technology.
“We hope to partner with the government of China and Shanghai in the realization of our objectives as a developed, progressive, and peaceful city,” he said.
Duterte, accompanied by five members of the City Council and other officials of the local government, also met with Chinese exporters of Philippine bananas and other business groups.