MANILA -- Malacañang has started releasing some agreements signed between the Philippine and Chinese governments during the state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Manila on November 20 to 21.
The Palace on Monday released two agreements: the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation on oil and gas development in the West Philippine Sea and an MOU on cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative.
The MOU on cooperation on oil and gas development allows Philippine and Chinese governments to negotiate on an accelerated basis, arrangements to facilitate oil and gas exploration and exploitation in relevant maritime areas consistent with applicable rules of international law.
Meanwhile, the cooperation on the Belt and Road initiative allows the two governments to encourage infrastructure cooperation and interconnectivity in transportation, telecommunication, energy sectors, and other areas of mutual interest.
Five other agreements were released by the Palace on Tuesday.
These are the executive program of cultural agreement for 2019-2023; agreement of the feasibility study for the Davao City Expressway project; infrastructure cooperation program; industrial parks development; and strengthening the building of agricultural cooperatives.
The executive program of cultural agreement for 2019-2023 encourages intellectual and cultural dialogues; the exchange of experts, academic researchers and relevant information to advocate intentional Philippine and Sinological studies; cultural heritage and exhibitions; performing and interdisciplinary arts; and publications, literary arts, language, and translation, among others.
The agreement of the feasibility study for the Davao City Expressway project provides the tasks of both governments in preparing the project feasibility report for the 26-kilometer infrastructure project, including full-scale geological survey and topographic map measurement, thematic research in roads and bridges, engineering programs, socio-economic, engineering geology, hydrological surveys, environmental and social impact assessments, among others.
The infrastructure cooperation program is meant to build a more effective framework for infrastructure cooperation between both governments in areas of transportation, agriculture, power, watershed management, and ICT (information and communications technology)/telecommunications.
Program for cooperation on industrial parks development is an agreement to promote bilateral cooperation on industrial parks development. Both sides could also explore establishing industrial parks in developed industrial areas such as special economic zones under the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, and Clark Development Corporation.
The MOU on strengthening the building of agricultural cooperatives states that both governments aim to strengthen concrete cooperation on agricultural cooperatives on the basis of universally accepted principles of cooperation, equality and mutual benefits. Cooperation includes capacity building, personnel exchange, demonstration and dissemination of agricultural technologies, agriculture trade, among others. (PNA)
