THE Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China and member of China’s State Council, HE Wang Yi, is expected to deliver the keynote speech during the ‘5th Manila Forum on China – Philippines Relations’ jointly organized by the Embassy of the PROC and the Association for Philippines – China Understanding (APCU).
The event, the first major engagement jointly organized by the Chinese Embassy and APCU for 2022, would be held via ‘Zoom’ in the afternoon of January 17, 2022.
Clearly giving importance to the event, former Philippine President and APCU chair emeritus, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, would be giving her welcome remark to the participants.
Since its founding in 1974, the APCU has been instrumental in promoting closer Philippines – China understanding; APCU was instrumental in the opening of formal diplomatic relationship between the two countries the following year, June 6, 1975.
Last August 6, 2021, APCU recognized the outstanding contributions of 10 Filipinos towards the building of a strong and stable relationship between the two countries over the decades (see also Pinoy Exposé article of August 2, 2021).
The regular holding of the Manila Forum is one of the major activities of APCU and the Chinese Embassy, where important leaders of both countries are invited to share their thoughts on how to best move forward the two nation’s best interests.
Former Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines and China’s former Vice Foreign Minister, HE Fu Ying, would also be delivering a separate speech during the event. Madame Fu is now the Vice-Chair, Foreign Affairs Committee of the 13th National People’s Congress of China.
The launching of the event comes at a critical time of the two country’s diplomatic relationship as the Philippines is scheduled to hold its presidential elections in a few months, on May 9, 2022 that also puts in the balance the fate of Philippine foreign policy in the next 6 years.
The Philippine President has always been the “sole architect” of the country’s foreign policy.
In the coming presidential race, majority of those running for president are known to be either beholden to, or ‘closet candidates’ of, the United States, the dominant foreign power in Philippine affairs for more than 120 years now.
Delivering the closing remark would be Chinese Ambassador HE Huang Xilian.