China sees ‘stronger, deeper’ ties with PH under new admin

FILE PHOTO: The Chinese national flag is seen in Beijing, China April 29, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

MANILA, Philippines — China’s top diplomat in the Philippines sees “stronger, deeper and wider” ties between the two countries under the administration of presumptive president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and presumptive vice president Sara Duterte-Carpio.

“With their vision for the Philippines and wisdom to navigate through different obstacles, I am confident that a Philippines under the next administration will surely demonstrate unprecedented unity to rise above all challenges, to recover from the pandemic and to prosper,” Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said in a statement on Thursday.

“And I have no doubt that under the next administration, our bilateral relations will only become stronger, our peoples closer and our cooperation deeper and wider,” he added.

Huang said the Chinese government is looking forward to working with the next Philippine administration to “upgrade our relationship of comprehensive strategic cooperation to new height and bring more tangible benefits to the peoples of our two countries.”

Huang also said he extended to Marcos and Duterte-Carpio the respective congratulatory messages of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan.

Based on the partial and unofficial count of the Commission on Elections, Marcos is the presumptive presidential winner with over 31 million votes.

Congress is tasked to proclaim the new president and vice president after they canvass the votes cast for the said positions.

Congress will resume session on May 23 and is eyeing to proclaim the winners by the end of that week.

/MUF