On November 24, 2021, the Round-table on China-Philippines Relations, co-organized by the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA) and the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations (PCFR) was successfully held via video link. The Chinese and Philippine delegations were respectively headed by Mr. Wang Chao, President of CPIFA and Mr. Rafael Alunan III, Chairman of PCFR.  

Wang Chao and Rafael Alunan delivered opening remarks. H.E. Huang Xilian, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines and his Philippine counterpart Jose Santiago Romana sent video remarks. The two sides conducted candid and in-depth exchanges on topics of “Exploring New Opportunities to Promote Philippines-China Trade and Economic Cooperation” and “Pursuing Pathways to Stability, Peace and Prosperity in Philippines-China Relations and the Asia-Pacific”. Both sides agreed that in recent years, relations between China and Philippines have maintained a momentum of development, with the political trust being enhanced, and economic cooperation serving as an important driving force. The two countries’ friendship stood the test of Covid-19 epidemic. Under the strategic guidance of the heads of the two states, the two sides should maintain close exchanges and communication, enrich cooperation, properly settle disputes, work substantively towards the early adoption of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), and make full use of the historic opportunities of globalization, regional integration and China’s new pattern of development to push forward bilateral relations as well as China-ASEAN relations, and to jointly promote peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia- Pacific region. 

Over 20 delegates attended the forum. The Chinese delegation includes Amb.Yang Yanyi, Member of Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Committee of the 13th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, former Ambassador and Head of the Chinese Mission to the EU and former Ambassador to Brunei, Ms. Shi Ling, Vice President of CPIFA, Dr. Wu Shicun, Founding President of China’s National Institute for South China Sea Studies, Prof. Jiang Ruiping, former Vice President of China Foreign Affairs University , Mr. Zhang Jianping, Director General of the Center for Regional Economic Cooperation, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Commerce, and experts and scholars from institutions and universities including China Institute for Marine Affairs, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Peking University and China Foreign Affairs University. The Philippine delegation includes Mr. Alejandro T. Flores Jr., President of Philippine Council for Foreign Relations，Mr. Rufino S. Lopez Jr.，Deputy Director General of the Philippine National Security Council, Mr. Joel S. Garcia, former Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, Mr. Eliseo M. Rio, Jr. , former Undersecretary for Operations of the Philippine Department of Information and Communications Technology, Amb. Victor G. Garcia III, former Permanent Representative to the U.N.and other International Organization in Vienna, and representatives from universities, think tanks and business federation.