Shifting Philippines-China Relations to a Higher Gear

Abstract

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. aims to take Philippines-China relations to the next stage. The bond between the two nations is centuries-old, and official ties are now in their 47th year, but there is still a lot of scope for cooperation. Friendly and productive exchanges with the world’s second-largest economy will benefit the country. Like what its other Southeast Asian peers, Malaysia, Indonesia and even Vietnam, are doing, longstanding disputes should not define bilateral relations. Differences should be handled deftly through dialogue and diplomacy to allow overall ties to flourish. China’s capacity and advances in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture, energy, tourism, education and research can have a transformative impact on the Philippines. 

Bionote

Lucio Blanco Pitlo III is a Research Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation and a member of the Board of Directors of the Philippine Association for Chinese Studies. He was a lecturer at the Chinese Studies Program of the Ateneo de Manila University and at the International Studies Department of the De La Salle University. He was formerly a technical assistant with the National Coast Watch Council Secretariat under the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines. He also served as a research associate  and consultant for several projects on maritime issues and Philippine foreign policy. He obtained his Master of Laws from Peking University, took graduate courses on Asian Studies from the University of the Philippines. His commentaries and analyses on Philippine security and foreign policy and Southeast Asian affairs appear in the Asia Times, China-US Focus, CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, South China Morning Post, and The Diplomat.