Forge ahead and deepen cooperation

 In Celebration of the 73rd Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China

By Sun Weidong,

Acting Head of Post & Consul

Consulate of the People's Republic of China in Laoag

October 1^st, 2022 is China’s National Day, the 73^rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Over the past 73 years, China has made great achievements in the development of various undertakings and China-Philippines cooperation has achieved fruitful results.

On behalf of the Chinese Consulate in Laoag, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our warm greetings and good wishes to people from all walks of life, overseas Chinese, Chinese-funded enterprise personnel, Chinese students and Chinese communities in the consular district.

 

New achievements in China's development

In 2022, with the complex and ever-changing international situation, the human society has faced challenges continuously and consistently. Even so, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China and the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping’s “Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” China has based itself on a new stage of development, implemented new development concepts, accelerated the construction of a new development pattern, promoted high-quality development, and made new achievements in modernization.

China's economy is making steady progress. In 2021, the total economic volume reached 114.4 trillion-yuan (US$17.7 Trillion), accounting for more than 18% of the world economy. In the first half of this year, China overcame multiple difficulties such as the global economic downturn and repeated pandemics. Nonetheless, its gross domestic product (GDP) still increased by 2.5% year-on-year, and its import and export trade continued to maintain rapid growth, with an increase of 9.5% in the first eight months. This fully proves that China's economy is resilient and has great potential, and will continue to maintain steady growth.

The people's living standards likewise continued to improve. The average annual increase of employment in urban areas has exceeded 13 million, the consolidation rate of nine-year compulsory education has reached 95.4%, and the basic medical insurance has covered 96.3% of the population.​​

The 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics were successfully held in China, and garnered high praise from the international community. Its aerospace industry reaches newer heights, the modernized high-speed rail network is further improved, and more than 1.854 million fifth-generation mobile communication base stations have built, accounting for more than 60% of the global total.

The world has also seen new progress in the joint construction of the "Belt and Road Initiative." A total of more than 50,000 China-Europe freight trains have been operated, the China-Laos railway has been completed and opened to transport, and the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway has been steadily advanced—all of which significantly benefiting the people's livelihood and injecting a new momentum into the global economy.

More importantly, China resolutely safeguarded its sovereignty and territorial integrity. There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. This is echoed by more than 170 countries and international organizations expressing their strong support to the one-China principle.

This coming golden autumn of October, the Communist Party of China will hold its 20th National Congress to elect a new leadership and draw a new blueprint for China's development in the next five years. The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will be a successful conference that inherits the past and ushers in the future!

 

China-Philippines cooperation reaches a new level

In recent years, China-Philippines relations have continued to improve. Both sides have adhered to good-neighborliness and friendship, have worked together for common development, and this cooperation achieved fruitful results.

In the past six years, the bilateral trade volume between China and the Philippines has doubled. China has become the Philippines' largest trading partner for six consecutive years and has become the Philippines' main source of foreign investment.

China's "Belt and Road" initiative and the Philippines' "Build, Build, Build" program have also been deeply aligned. And so far, nearly 40 cooperation projects have been carried out, covering various fields such as anti-pandemic, disaster relief, roads and bridges construction, agricultural cooperation, and other fields notably contributing in the improvement of people's livelihood.

This year also marked the 47^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines. With a new Philippine administration, China expresses its willingness to work with the Philippines to earnestly implement the consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Among which is to focus on cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, education, energy and other fields, as well as to further develop the "three-good relationship" of good neighbors, good relatives and good partners, and usher in a new "Golden Era" of China-Philippines relations.

 

New progress in the cooperation between China and Northern Luzon

In the past years, under the guidance of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines and the support of people from all walks of life, the Chinese Consulate in Laoag has actively promoted friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation among China and the provinces and cities in Northern Luzon; and has strived hard to serve Chinese citizens, Chinese-funded enterprises, Chinese students, and Chinese communities within its consular district.

The Chinese Consulate actively participated in the earthquake relief operations and post-disaster reconstruction of the Magnitude 7.0 earthquake, and tried its best to join the efforts of the local government for the economic recovery of the northern region.

Further, the Consulate cooperated with various relevant provincial and municipal governments within its Consular District to carry out a number of small donation projects aimed at improving people's livelihood which in turn achieved good results.

The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines joined by the Consulate, organized Chinese-funded enterprises in the Philippines to hold counterpart cooperation talks with the provincial government and local business community in Ilocos Norte to advance the local business scene.

The Consulate also promoted educational collaborations including cooperation between China's Shandong Academic of Agricultural Sciences and Mariano Marcos State University.

It has also produced new symbols of China-Philippines friendship with the unveiling of the Chinese Garden and a successful conduct of a Chinese-Filipino Friendship Forest tree planting activity in the Chinese Garden, along with the completion of Baguio Chinese-Filipino Friendship Garden View Deck.

Looking ahead, China has a bright future for development and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will surely be realized.

Looking forward to the future, China-Philippines cooperation has huge potential, and the new "Golden Era" of China-Philippines relations will surely achieve greater results!

The Chinese Consulate in Laoag will continue to work together with overseas Chinese, Chinese-funded institutions, Chinese students, Chinese communities and friends from all walks of life in the consular area in deepening friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation.

Let us wish the People's Republic of China peace and prosperity!

Let us wish for greater achievements in the friendly cooperation between China and the Philippines!