On the eve of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s visit to China, a think tank has issued an urgent call for him to focus his efforts towards forging the “New Philippine-China Special Relations.” This is to ensure a firm partnership with the Asian giant for the Philippines’ economic development. “With support from China’s massive financing and investment capacity, Beijing could assist the Philippines’ physical and transport infrastructure development, tourism promotion, fisheries and agricultural cooperation,” says the Philippines-Asia Institute for Strategic Studies (PAISS). Some 400 persons from the business community join the trip looking for opportunities in what the PAISS expected would be a “reawakening” of trade and investment ties that went into hiatus due to our conflict with China in the South China Sea. China has since warmed up with Duterte since he has practically shoved to the back burner the favorable ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the [...]
