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By APD writer Melo M. Acuña
Chinese Ambassador to Manila Zhao Jianhua said the past seven decades saw China’s development to becoming richer and stronger.
Speaking at the 70th Founding Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China Thursday evening at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel, Ambassador Zhao said China’s aggregate economic output has exceeded approximately US$13.6 trillion while China’s per capita GDP reached around US$10,000.
“China stands as the only country in the world that can produce all the products listed in the United Nations International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) and its annual output of over 200 industrial products tops the world,” he said.
He added his country’s high-speed rail has reached 30,000 kilometers which is more than two-thirds of the world’s total.
Ambassador Zhao added Chinese President Xi Jinping officially opened the Beijing Daxing International Airport which was constructed for less than five years and said to be the largest in the world with four runways, 268 parking pays and a vast terminal building with an area of 700,000 square meters. It is expected to handle some 45 million passenger trips a year by 2021 and 72 million buy 2025.
He claimed the per capita disposable income increased from CNY/RMB 50 in 1949 to RMB/CNY 28,228 or approximately US$4,030 last year with more than 700 million people lifted out of poverty with life expectancy’s increase from 35 to 77.
“China is home to the world’s largest middle income group of over 427 million people as China’s retail sales of national social consumer goods exceeded RMB/CNY 38 trillion or US$5.3 trillion and consumption has been the first driving force for economic growth for five consecutive years,” he added.
There were 150 million Chinese nationals who traveled abroad last year and spend some US$120 billion. Developments in infrastructure were also mentioned with internet getting into the 5G era as the Internet of Things will become virtually possible soon.
“It is predicted that by 2025 the economic output of China directly driven by commercial 5G will reach RMB/CNY 10.6 trillion or US$1.5 trillion which will directly create more than three million jobs,” he further said.
Ambassador Zhao said the past 70 years saw China moving from isolation to a position that has never been seen on the world stage as the number of countries that have diplomatic relations with China increased from 18 to 179 and partnerships in different forms with 110 countries and regional organizations, agreements on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation with 136 countries and 30 international organizations.
Speaking of the China-Philippine relation s, Ambassador Zhao said China is the Philippines’ top trading partner and the largest source of imports and exports market and second largest tourist source. Referring to bilateral trade volume in 2018, he said it reached some US$55.7 billion with a 8.5% year-on-year increase.
“China has become one of the largest foreign investment origins of the Philippines amounting to US$66.62 million in 2018 with a 12.5 percent increase from 2017,” he added. Chinese tourists who visited the Philippines reached 1.2 million.
He explained China has provided RMB/CNY 2.75 billion or US$398 million of grants and US$173 million in soft loans in support of President Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” plan with another RMB/CNY 3 billion or US$421 million in grants will be further extended to the Philippines from this year until 2022.
“China is committed to maintain regional peace and stability with the Philippines with more than 60% of China’s foreign trade and energy suppliers pass through the South China Sea, so China has a greater stake in safeguarding the peace and stability in the South China Sea than any other country,” the Chinese ambassador said.
He underscored that the South China Sea issue is not the sum total of China-Philippine relations nor disputes the sum total of the South China Sea issue.
“China would like to work together with the Philippines and give full play to existing mechanisms such as the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea and the Joint Coast Guard Committee to properly manage our differences,” he added.
The Chinese ambassador said they would also like to make concerted efforts with the Philippines to promote substantial progress of the joint exploration of oil and gas (in the South China Sea) and China will continue to support the Philippines as country coordinator of China-ASEAN dialogue relations.
“And it is our hope that during the Philippines’ tenure, Code of Conduct (COC) consultations could be concluded with the aim of turning South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and prosperity,” he said.
He concluded his remarks with a call for all countries to keep abreast of the “historical trend” so as to seize development opportunities and benefit from enduring peace and prosperity.
“Today, China is marking forward along the peaceful path of national rejuvenation,” as he expressed confidents China will overcome any difficulty and challenge ahead,” he further said.
He assured his audience led by Acting Foreign Secretary Eduardo Malaya, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, members of the diplomatic corps, Filipino and Chinese businessmen that China will continue “to attach great importance to China-Philippines friendship and cooperation and handle bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective where more benefits for both the Chinese and Filipino citizens.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
