MANILA – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr will go ahead with his state visit to China from Jan 3 to 5 despite the surge in Covid-19 cases there.
Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Neil Imperial said on Thursday that tighter health protocols would be imposed to ensure the Philippine delegation would not get sick.
“Our relations with China are so important, and we have received assurances from our Chinese hosts that all arrangements are being made to ensure the safety of the President and his delegation during the state visit,” said Mr Imperial. “And you know, there are visits that the President just can’t postpone.”
The health protocols will entail a “bubble” arrangement for Philippine officials to interact with selected Chinese government officials and their staff in venues closed to the public, and a separate facility prepared for the delegation in case any of them catch Covid-19 and require isolation.
Mr Marcos, who usually meets Filipinos in large conference halls on his overseas trips, will not have meetings with the Filipino community in China to avoid a potential super-spreader event.
His three separate meetings on Jan 4 will be with National People’s Congress Standing Committee chairman Li Zhanshu, Premier Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping. Mr Xi will also host a banquet for the Philippine delegation.
There were concerns in Philippine diplomatic and political circles that Mr Marcos would cut short or postpone his state visit to China, as Covid-19 cases have been rising there since Beijing relaxed its zero-Covid measures earlier in December.
This will be Mr Marcos’ first bilateral visit outside of South-east Asia since assuming the presidency in June.
He was personally invited by Mr Xi for a state visit when the two heads of state met in November at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Thailand.
Mr Imperial said the trip is expected to “reaffirm the cordial and neighbourly relations” between the two nations.
Mr Marcos will be visiting China amid rising tensions between Manila and Beijing over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
China has also been increasing its military activities in the disputed waters in the past two months, as Mr Marcos continues to look for a diplomatic middle ground between maintaining economic relations with Beijing and fostering stronger military ties with the United States, China’s rival.
The Philippines is already planning to boost its military presence in the South China Sea following Beijing’s latest reclamation activities in parts of the Spratly Islands that are claimed by Manila.
Beijing has so far refused to recognise a 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling that rejected its sweeping claim over the South China Sea and ruled that the Philippines has sovereign rights over the waters within its exclusive economic zone.
Mr Imperial said that in his meeting with Mr Xi, Mr Marcos can be expected to raise the issue of the maritime dispute as well as possible joint oil and gas exploration in the disputed waters.
But Mr Marcos said in early December that the Philippines must find a way to exploit resources in the South China Sea without striking a deal with Beijing.
Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, will be signing an agreement to establish direct communications between both countries’ foreign ministries “to avoid miscalculation and miscommunication” on South China Sea matters.
About 10 to 14 bilateral agreements covering areas from agriculture to renewable energy will be signed during the visit. These include the renewal of the Philippines’ participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, the importation of durian to China and construction of bridges in the Philippines.
Mr Marcos will be accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos; his cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez; and several Cabinet members and Filipino businessmen on the state visit.
