The House of Representatives on Monday honored Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua, conferring him with the Congressional Medal of Achievement for fostering strong diplomatic ties between Philippines and China during his five-year tour of duty.
House Resolution 474 was principally filed by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez of Leyte and House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante of Manila was adopted by the House of Representatives, crediting Zhao for the stronger bonds and friendship of the two nations since his assignment to Manila in April 2014.
They honored the work and contribution of Zhao as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Philippines.
“Notwithstanding their distinct or conflicting positions, he helped resolve their differences in a friendly manner, leading to the turnaround of previously cold relations into the golden age of Philippine-China bilateral relations that we know today,” the two-page resolution said.
The resolution also noted that Zhao “played a significant role” in reviving the cold bilateral relations between the two countries.
Despite a conflicting position of the Philippines and China in the oil-rich West Philippine Sea, the lawmakers said Zhao was credited for maintaining the good relations.
“While there may be real and difficult issues remaining between the Philippines and China, through the work and contribution of Ambassador Jianhua, the Philippine Government is certain that the lines of communication shall always remain open to resolve peacefully any difference between our countries and peoples,” the House leadership said in the resolution.
At the end of the month, Zhao is set to leave Manila. President Rodrigo Duterte conferred him the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu on Zhao.
In his farewell call with House leaders, Zhao thanked Cayetano for his “important contribution to strengthening the friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.”
“Parliamentary exchanges served as an important way to deepen the bilateral relations and the friendship between the two peoples,” said Zhao who made a farewell call with House leaders headed by Cayetano at the House of Representatives.
According to Zhao, China is “committed to further promoting the parliamentary exchanges and interaction between the two countries, so as to constantly enrich China-Philippines Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation relationship.”
During Zhao’s stint, China has become Manila’s top trading partner, the country’s fourth largest export market at $8.7 billion in 2018 as well as top import supplier that stood at $21.3 billion in 2018.
Zhao was responsible for the dramatic increased of the Chinese tourist arrivals in the country from only 394,951 in 2014 – or during the time of Aquino – to 1.26 million in 2018 to the current administration of President Duterte.
He was also successful in facilitating the four state visits of President Duterte to Beijing since 2016, and in turn, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Manila in 2018 – the first visit of a Chinese president in 13 years.
The two nations also signed 90 bilateral agreements ranging from economic, political, cultural, humanitarian and security aspects of the two country’s bilateral ties during Zhao’s tour of duty.
The diplomat is an expert in world economy and international policy and has an extensive career in China’s foreign service ministry where he was posted in diplomatic posts in Lebanon, Thailand, United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Liberia.