TUTULAK si Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. patungong Beijing, China para sa isang state visit sa Enero 3 hanggang 5.
Ito ang kanyang maging unang foreign trip para sa 2023, ayon sa isang opisyal ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) sa ginanap na Palace briefing, araw ng Huwebes.
Sinabi ni DFA Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs Nathaniel Imperial, ang state visit ni Pangulong Marcos ay sa imbitasyon ni Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“The President will depart Manila in the early afternoon of January 3 and will arrive in Beijing in the early evening. The official activities of the President will begin on January 4 with three important meetings with the Chinese leaders,” ayon kay Asec. Nathaniel Imperial, Asian and Pacific Affairs, DFA.
Inilahad pa ni Imperial na ito ang kauna-unahang bilateral visit ni Pangulong Marcos sa isang non-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) na bansa mula nang maupo bilang Presidente noong Hulyo.
Ito naman ang magiging pangalawang face-to-face meeting sa pagitan ng dalawang pinuno ng estado sa loob ng wala pang dalawang buwan.
“With both leaders receiving a fresh mandate in recent elections, there is an expectation that the state visit will set the tone of bilateral relations between the two countries in the next five to six years,” dagdag ni Imperial.
Bilateral relationship ng Pilipinas at China, mas pagtitibayin sa nakatakdang state visit ni PBBM
Itinakda rin ang naturang state visit upang muling pagtibayin ang “cordial and neighborly” relations sa pagitan ng Maynila at Beijing.
Pati na rin ang tiyakin ang pagpapatuloy sa maraming aspeto ng bilateral relationship at mag-charter ng bagong areas of engagement.
“It is also expected to build on the growing trade and investment ties between the two economies as well as address security issues of mutual concern,” ayon pa kay Imperial.
Pilipinas at China, lalagda ng maraming kasunduan sa state visit ni PBBM
Kaugnay dito, ibinahagi ni Imperial na ang pagbisita ni Pangulong Marcos sa ‘economic giant’ ng Asya ay may kasamang paglagda sa ilang mga kasunduan sa negosyo.
Mababatid na kinokonsidera bilang isang napakahalagang kasosyo sa ekonomiya ng Pilipinas ang Tsina.
“During the state visit, between 10 to 14 bilateral government agreements are expected to be signed,” saad ni Imperial.
Kabilang sa mga nasabing kasunduan ang patungkol sa kalakalan at pamumuhunan, agrikultura, renewable energy, imprastraktura, kooperasyong pangkaunlaran, people-to-people ties at maritime security cooperation.
Kabilang din sa mga prayoridad sa state visit ni Pangulong Marcos ay ang isulong ang mas malakas na kooperasyong pang-ekonomiya sa Tsina at inaasahang sasamahan siya ng malaking business delegation.
Saysay ni Imperial, malaki ang interes ng mga Chinese investor sa ekonomiya ng Pilipinas, lalo na sa agrikultura, renewable energy at nickel processing.
“China imports 70 percent of its nickel ore and concentrates requirements from the Philippines. So there’s a lot of potential in those sectors,” aniya pa.
‘Bubble arrangement’ sa state visit ni PBBM sa China, napagkasunduan para mabawasan ang panganib vs COVID-19
Inihayag naman ni Imperial na nagbigay-katiyakan ang Chinese host na magiging ligtas ang pagbisita ni Pangulong Marcos sa China kasama ng Philippine delegation.
Ang pahayag ay kasunod ng napaulat na tumataas ang kaso ng COVID-19 sa naturang bansa.
Nabanggit ni Imperial na napagkasunduan ang isang ‘bubble arrangement’ upang mabawasan ang panganib ng pagkaka-expose sa coronavirus.
“Ang ating ugnayang panlabas sa China ay napakaimportante and we have received assurances from our Chinese host that all arrangements are being made to ensure the safety of the President and the delegation during the visit,” ani Imperial.
Kasama ni Pangulong Marcos sa kanyang state visit sa China sina First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy at iba pang mga miyembro ng gabinete.
“His first meeting will be with Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress which is equivalent to the Philippine Legislature. His second meeting will be with Premier Li Keqiang and his final and third meeting will be with his counterpart, President Xi Jinping. President Xi will host a dinner banquet for the President, the First Lady and Cabinet officials after their meeting,” ani Imperial.
