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By APD writer Melo M. Acuna
MANILA, July 26 (APD) – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said his government would participate in a number of major infrastructure projects in the Philippines to support President Rodrigo Duterte’s massive public works projects.
Emerging from his bilateral meeting with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano at Shangri-La Hotel at The Fort, Minister Wang said the construction of two bridges spanning across Pasig River will begin by the end of July.
He explained the Chinese government would embark on development projects including the South line of the North-South Railway between this metropolitan area and Bicol region. They will also fund the New Centennial Water Source known as Kaliwa dam and the chico River pump irrigation.
In agriculture and fisheries, Minister Wang said the Chinese government will provide 100,000 young groupers popularly known as lapu-lapu to Palawan-based fishermen to increase their learnings and fish production.
Minister Wang said his country is steadily becoming the Philipines’ largest trading partner as imports from the Philippine increased by some 10.7%. Among the agricultural products that are in demand in China are bananas, pineapple, mangoes and other tropical fruits.
He also looks forward to more agricultural products up for exports to China in the near future including the Chinese delicacy called dragon fruit, durian, coconut and avocado.
Minister Wang disclosed almost 400,000 Chinese tourists arrived in the Philippines from January to April this year marking some 40% increase on year-on-year.
