Locsin, new Chinese envoy discuss project opportunities for 2020

Photo courtesy of Chinese Embassy in Manila

MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. started off the year with a visit to the residence of new Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian and discussed a wide-range of issues, including oil and gas development as well as major infrastructure projects.

In a statement on Friday, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said “both sides expressed satisfaction on the development of China-Philippines relations during the past year” during Locsin’s visit to Huang’s residence on Thursday.

The two diplomats also expressed confidence that the bilateral relations between the Philippine and China “would embrace new development opportunities” this year.

The year 2020 marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two Asian countries.

The embassy also noted that the two ministers discussed a wide-range of and “agreed to work jointly in the spirit of ‘seizing the day and living it to the full’ to push for further substantive progress in bilateral cooperation across the board.”

Huang arrived in the Philippines last December 3. He replaced Zhao Jinhua who started his five-year stint as ambassador to Manila in 2014 at the height of a maritime dispute between the Philippines and China over the South China Sea.

Zhao’s duty as Chinese ambassador to the Philippines came to a close as Manila and Beijing forged warmer ties under the Duterte administration.

Upon his arrival in the Philippines, Beijing’s new top diplomat in Manila said the “best is yet to come” for the bilateral relations between the two countries.