Likely Next 12 Years of Warm China-Pinoy Ties

 

Sara Duterte's comfortable election as the Philippines' next vice president on May 9, alongside winning presidential running mate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., will be warmly welcomed in Beijing.

With Marcos likely to bring the Philippines closer to China to help consolidate his family's return to the Malacanang Palace, Sara Duterte, daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, represents something an added return on Beijing's investment in Philippine presidential politics.

Since her father's election in 2016, Sara Duterte has built strong relations with Chinese government officials in her capacity as mayor of Davao City on the southern island of Mindanao.

Taking advantage of direct foreign investments and other commercial opportunities from China, Sara Duterte has developed the Davao region and integrated Davao city, the region's capital, with several Chinese provinces.

Establishing a consulate in Davao in 2018 with the primary purpose of strengthening their ties with the Dutertes, in February 2020, the Chinese ambassador Huang Xilian traveled to Davao City to meet with Sara Duterte and her brother, Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte, to praise the duo for their COVID vaccination management and affirm their long-term friendship.

The Davao consulate has also become a place from which Chinese government officials can interact directly with other Mindanao politicians, regularly playing host to celebrations, dinners and other formal and informal events.

The Chinese consul general regularly visits officials at agencies such as the Bureau of Customs in the port of Davao and the local offices of the National Economic Development Authority.

A search of the Philippine Security Exchange Commission's company registration database reveals the extent to which Davao has been a recipient of Chinese foreign direct investment and development finance since Rodrigo Duterte first became mayor more than two decades ago: 445 new companies backed by Chinese investors were registered between 2000 and 2019.

These include businesses in mining, construction, real estate, wholesale and retail sales, all contributing to local government revenues and boosting employment, as well as helping the region transition away from a focus on agriculture to a more services-oriented economy.

Davao City has become increasingly integrated with several Chinese provinces, as Davao and other parts of Mindanao have sought to increase foreign investors and tourists to their own towns and cities as they try to create an alternative path for the commercial activity normally centered around the Philippine economic heartland on the island of Luzon.

Manila's relaxation of visa entry requirements and government policies intended to ease travel have resulted in a surge of Chinese tourists to Mindanao.

There are now commercial flights from Davao City to the Chinese cities of Beijing and Tianjin, and in 2018, XiamenAir established direct flights between Davao and Jianjiang. Chinese tourists have taken advantage of these changes, making up over 37% of Davao's total foreign tourist visits in 2019.

Chinese tourists have also been integral to spurring businesses and local development in Davao. Some local estimates suggest that Chinese tourists spend an average of $3,000 each over a typical five-day visit on food, accommodation and transport.

These interactions have resulted in even stronger relations between Davao City and China. Nanning and Jinjiang are now sister cities to Davao, with both donating face masks, infrared thermometers and personal protective equipment to Davao during the worst of the pandemic.

In sum, China seems to have won over Sara Duterte and her family, likely securing China's political interests in the Philippines for the next six years and possibly the six years after that if Sara Duterte succeeds Marcos as president, as is widely expected. 

 Anonymous