On 30 June 2017, Mme. Wang Jianqun, Head of Chinese Consulate in Laoag, met with Chinese Media Delegation participating in the third Chinese Media Reporting Trip to ASEAN organized by ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) and gave an interview on promoting local exchanges and cooperation between the Philippines and China. H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ACC, and Mr. Vithit Powattanasuk, Director of Information and Public Relations Division of ACC, attended the event.

Mme. Wang briefed the socio-economic development of the consular district and the work of the consulate. She stated that the consulate, established in 2007, is in charge of the first and second region of Northern Philippines and Cordillera administrative region, altogether 15 provinces, 60 thousand square kilometers and 9 million citizens. Laoag, Ilocos Norte province, where the consulate is located has good public security, friendly local communities and great potential in such pillar industries as agriculture, tourism and fishery. It has great demands in external cooperation in infrastructure development, energy development, vocational training and other fields.

During exchanges with the delegation, Mme. Wang stated that Ilocos Norte province has close connections with Chinese provinces and cities and has a keen desire in expanding mutually beneficial cooperation with China. Shandong province and Ilocos Norte province established Sister Province relations in 2002. There are frequent exchange of visits and interactions between the two provinces. In April 2017, an agricultural trade delegation of Shandong province visited Ilocos Norte province. Both sides reached cooperation agreement in six areas and signed a friendly cooperation work plan in 2017-2018 covering trade, agriculture, tourism, ocean and fishery, education, and culture. Shandong enterprises donated rice milling machines to Ilocos Norte province. In addition, Laoag established Sister City relations with Laibin city of Guangxi province of China. China Eastern Airline offered chartered flight for tourists between Guangzhou and Laoag. The cruise ship setting sail from Hong Kong and passing by Laoag is regularly run. All these have offered good conditions for Ilocos Norte province to expand cooperation with China. She wished China’s provinces and cities would seize the opportunity and make full use of their strengths to deepen practical cooperation. The consulate would provide assistance to the best of its ability to increase the Philippines-China local exchanges and cooperation.

Secretary-General Yang highly commended the efforts and achievements the consulate made for the Philippines-China practical cooperation and outlined the recent work and mandate of ACC. She opined that fostering local exchanges and cooperation is one of the priorities of ACC. ACC would continue to serve as a bridge and bond and join hands with various parties including the consulate to make more contributions to deepening ASEAN-China relations and the Philippines-China relations for the benefit of both peoples.

Chinese journalists exchanged views with Mme. Wang on the investment polices of local agriculture, tourism, infrastructure development and other fields. Mme. Wang answered all the questions and encouraged Chinese journalists to follow up and support the exchanges and cooperation between Ilocos Norte province and its counterparts in China. The atmosphere was warm.