June 9, 2022

China and the Philippines celebrated the 47th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations and 21st China-Philippines Friendship Day on Thursday, just days before Philippine president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. takes office. Chinese analysts said that bilateral ties will be further strengthened under the pragmatic China policy of Marcos Jr. who is believed not to let the South China Sea issue affect the overall development of ties. 

But analysts warned that as the US increasingly views Southeast Asia as an important part of its "Indo-Pacific Strategy," the US will intensify its efforts to rope in Marcos Jr. due to the geopolitical value of the Philippines, which is the US' most important ally in Southeast Asia and only ally in the South China Sea region.

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said on Wednesday at a celebration of the 21st China-Philippine Friendship Day that both China and the Philippines are at a critical stage of development and bilateral relations are facing important opportunities and broad prospects. 

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