Metro Manila, Philippines – Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte hosted a senior Chinese provincial foreign affairs official on Thursday, Aug. 27, as the local government unit and China’s Fujian province explored ways to deepen cooperation in agriculture, health care, and other development initiatives.
The Davao City government said Duterte welcomed Huang Shaorong, deputy director-general of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Fujian Provincial People’s Government, during a courtesy call in Davao City.
The city government said the meeting highlighted Davao’s longstanding relationship with China and was an opportunity to discuss potential partnerships in agriculture and health. Both sides also expressed commitment to strengthening ties and exploring future areas of cooperation.
The meeting was the latest engagement between Duterte and Chinese officials this year.
In January, the mayor met Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan in Davao City, where they discussed strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation.
Davao has also maintained sister-city relationships with a number of Chinese cities and has received Chinese assistance for infrastructure, emergency response equipment, and public facilities through the years.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte pursued warmer relations with China during his 2016–2022 term, prioritizing economic cooperation, infrastructure projects, and high-level exchanges with Beijing while seeking to manage maritime disputes through dialogue.
He made multiple official visits to China and met Chinese President Xi Jinping a number of times.
