Cooperation beyond differences

On the threshold of the second 50 years of China-Philippines relations

- By AMBASSADOR JING QUAN People's Republic of China to the Philippines

AMBASSADOR JING QUAN People's Republic of China to the Philippines

I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support and help to our embassy, and I hope we can become old friends as soon as possible.

I’ve been here in the Philippines for a little over one month. As ambassador, I will firmly safeguard national interests and dignity while serving as a bridge to ensure that China-Philippines relations move toward stability rather than deterioration, and that the two peoples grow closer rather than further apart. I know the task ahead is demanding, but I remain confident and look forward to receiving strong support from all sides.

You can imagine, I’ve been very busy over the last month. Sometimes I attended as many as seven different events just in one day. I’ve been to some places, and I’ve met many people, including government officials, business community, journalists, students, workers, and ordinary Filipinos. I have been deeply impressed by their hospitality, kindness, friendliness and the smiles. That makes my heart feel so warm.

Just a month’s time, we heard both good news like the 14-day visa free policy to Chinese citizens, and bad ones like incidents occurring on the Sea. We’ve seen rumors spread ing to demonize China. But all people I met wish that the situation in the South China Sea could stabilize and our relations improve. That gave me great confidence.

There are maritime disputes between China and the Philippines, which in recent years have become more pronounced. China also has land or maritime disputes with several other neighbors, including India, Vietnam, and Japan. But through dialogue, we found solutions, or at least we managed the tensions. I believe that China and the Philippines also have the ability and wisdom to properly manage our differences.