The topics of China’s “Two Sessions” have come to the fore in the world community. In a recent interview with Yangcheng Evening News column “Record GBA”, Benito Techico, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos' special envoy to China for trade, investments, and tourism, said he has no doubt that China will be able to achieve its expected GDP growth target of 5% in 2023. He believes that China will bring a higher quality of life through high-quality development. He hopes the Philippines will strengthen connection with Guangdong province and continue to promote investment, trade and tourism development between the two sides.
New opportunities for win-win cooperation between the Philippines and China
Record GBA: Thank you for taking time out for your busy schedule. We learned that you accompanied the Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. to pay a state visit to China from January 3 to 5. What’s the impression during the time you were in China?
Mr. Techico: I think it’s a very successful trip. I think we had a couple of these cooperations, bilateral trade agreements, being signed. In general, it’s a very good visit in China. I think there are few agreements signed, which is for me, with the wisdom of our President Marcos, I’m sure whatever he signed is really beneficial to the Filipino people, and he will also be very fair to the partners. There are few agreements related to agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure development. I think renewable energy is one of them. I think all these agreements are beneficial to the local community in the long term.
Record GBA: It is said that electricity power is a problem in the Philippines. Recently, one of the agreements between China and the Philippines is about new energy development. What do you think about it?
Mr. Techico: That's going to be very, very good for the Philippines to have more power supply, especially renewable energy. From what I know, the solar power or solar panel has dropped significantly per kilowatt per panel. From what I understand, the pricing is getting more competitive, and it's going to give advantages to the Philippines so that, basically Philippines will focus on those renewable energy and it could also avail cheaper power rates. As we all know, as the power become more liberated, then the price gets more competitive. So, everything lies down with power. Whether it goes for farming, for industrial manufacturing, everything relies on power. When you have a cheap power, then definitely you will be able to achieve a competitive product. Whatever industry it is, we cannot get away with competitive rates.
It’s right time for China to promote high-quality development
Record GBA: Recently, we just had our "Two Sessions", what do you know about China's “two sessions”? What do you think of the 5% GDP growth target set by China this year?
Mr. Techico: The target I've heard is like the 5% GDP growth. Knowing the leadership in China, it's always been hardworking. Setting up the target GDP at 5%, everybody in the entire nation will just follow and keep up the good work to make sure that they can achieve it. So, I have no doubt at all that in the end, China will be able to meet that target. Because everybody will just work harder and harder to do that.
Record GBA: We also have a term “High-quality development”, this term is a buzzword in China nowadays. How do you understand the concept of high-quality development? How do you think China's high-quality development relate to the world? How can China’s high-quality development be integrated with the development of the Philippines? In what ways can the two countries build a closer economic partnership?
Mr. Techico: For that, my understanding is doing high-quality development would involve with probably renewable energies, ecology, environmental......all these things are being included in a high-quality product. Same thing goes with the technology. So basically, I think my understanding is like China would move forward towards that aspect rather than the typical or traditional mass production and less quality product. I think it’s already a right timing for China to move up on another skill to do quality products. So that's gonna be less environmental impact, and better quality lifestyle.
Hope to strengthen connectivity with Guangdong
Record GBA: Guangdong is the closest Chinese mainland province to the Philippines besides Fujian, with a direct flight from Guangzhou to Manila taking only two hours. What are your suggestions for cooperation between Guangdong and the Philippines in culture and industry?
Mr. Techico: Guangdong is very close to my heart. I would say Guangdong will be or has been the most friendly, or it's like the most flexible province for the Philippines. Why? Because in terms of food, everybody is very familiar with the taste. In terms of trade, most of the Filipinos, I think most of the traders source their product from Guangdong. In terms of investment or tourism, I think a lot of tourists also come from Guangdong province. So, I think Guangdong as the shortest connectivity to the Philippines, would be able to provide a lot of benefits to the Philippines. Same thing goes, I think Filipinos would love to go to Guangdong from whichever aspect, from trade, from investment, for tourism, all these aspects. I think everybody would love to reconnect.
Record GBA: As the special envoy for trade, investments, and tourism, how do you think the two sides can strengthen cooperation in these areas?
Mr. Techico: I would say we could come up with more exchanges, cultural exchanges. With the travel and tours, I think that could be formed as a basic access or the basic connectivity to both sides, or to both countries. It's easy for the Filipinos to go to Guangdong and I think a lot of Guangdong people also speaks English. Then from Guangdong province, they also love traveling. In terms of geographic consideration, I think the Philippines is also the nearest to Guangdong. So, I think we can easily make something, we just have to come up with a good travel or tour product wherein food has to be included, shows or like cultural shows has to be included. Of course, shopping, the Filipinos like shopping, whether it is personal shopping or business shopping. I think Guangdong presents a lot of these choices to the Filipinos.
Reporter｜Gu Siqi, Li Guohui
Stringer｜Liang Guanghan, Chinese director of Confucius Institute at the Ateneo de Manila University
Editor｜Wang Nan
