Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian shared a vision of China’s evolution and its commitment to global development during the 13th Manila Forum for China-Philippines Relations on December 11 in Makati City.
Huang emphasized the need for an evolving perspective when viewing China, noting the country’s remarkable transformation over recent decades.
“To understand China, we must view the country with an evolving perspective,” Huang said in his speech. “What remains unchanged for China is that it keeps changing,” he noted, quoting Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime Florcruz.
He recalled China’s position during the 2008 financial crisis when its gross domestic product (GDP) ranked third globally, lagging behind Japan. Today, China’s GDP is nearly four times the size of Japan’s economy.
The ambassador also highlighted China’s world-leading high-speed rail system, which spans more than 46,000 kilometers, revolutionizing travel and connectivity.
“I’m talking about ‘bullet train’ tracks… It only takes a few hours to reach cities hundreds or thousands of kilometers away. China’s high-speed maglev (magnetic levitation train) with a speed of 600 kilometers per hour has rolled off the assembly and production line. Imagine going from Ilocos Norte to Bohol on such a train in just one hour or something,” Huang mused.
He pointed to China’s industrial rise, which has transformed perceptions of its products from low-quality to globally recognized. The country’s industrial output now accounts for about 30% of global manufacturing, surpassing the G7 nations combined. This includes China’s leadership in electric vehicle production, which has topped the world for nine consecutive years.
“The biggest change in China’s overall economy in the past few decades is the rise of industrial manufacturing, which underpins and drives China’s development. There was a time when ‘Made in China’ was associated with inexpensive and poor-quality products. Not any more. Today, China’s value-added industrial production accounts for around 30% of the global total, more than that of the G7 countries combined,” Huang said.
The ambassador stressed the importance of people-centered development, citing China’s achievement in lifting 800 million people out of poverty ahead of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. He underscored that the Chinese government’s focus on improving public welfare, such as employment, healthcare, and education, has helped close the development gap between China and developed nations.
“To understand China, we need to view China’s development from a ‘people’s perspective’… From employment to income, from school enrolment to medical care, from housing to the elderly care, people-centered philosophy permeates all aspects of economic and social development. The Chinese government focuses on what people care about and what they expect, and is committed to turning their expectations into a list of development initiatives which will make people’s lives better,” Huang emphasized.
“The hope of the Chinese people for thousands of years, that ‘no one will be left behind due to unfairness or poverty’, has come true,” the ambassador added.
Addressing issues of corruption, Huang assured that the Chinese government has prioritized anti-corruption measures, earning widespread public support. A 2022 survey revealed that 97.4% of the public believes the government is effective, a significant increase from 2012.
“In response to the people’s expectations, the Chinese government has given priority to the anti-corruption and the promotion of honesty and integrity. With the sense of mission of ‘it’s better to offend thousands of corrupt officials than to let down 1.4 billion people’, we have unswervingly fought against high-ranking ‘tigers’ as well as low-level ‘flies’, which have widely won people’s support,” Huang continued.
Turning to China’s broader international role, Huang outlined China’s commitment to peaceful development and global cooperation. He affirmed China’s dedication to an open economy, green development, and addressing climate change, highlighting the country’s renewable energy leadership and large-scale reforestation efforts.
“To understand China, we need to view Chinese modernization with a broader perspective. In China, there is an ancient belief back to 1200 B.C. called ‘When there is harmony within society, there is peace among all states.’ It means that China not only delivers a better life for its people, but also for people around the world. For us Chinese, China will do well only when the world does well, and vice versa,” Huang pointed out.
“We are committed to green development. We promise to achieve the transition from carbon peak to carbon neutrality within the shortest time in history. We have built the world’s most complete new energy industry chain, and the largest renewable energy market. China’s wind power and PV products have been exported to more than 200 countries and regions, contributing to China’s strength in addressing climate change. We have launched the largest tree planting campaign in human history and successfully planted nearly 100 million hectares of artificial forests, ranking first in the world,” the ambassador added.
Despite global tensions, Huang reiterated China’s commitment to diplomacy, emphasizing that the country has never waged war since its founding. He noted that China and the Philippines have maritime disputes but remain committed to resolving them through dialogue.
“We’re committed to peaceful development… Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, we have never provoked a war, started a proxy war, or occupied an inch of others’ land,” Huang recalled.
“China and the Philippines have maritime differences, but China has always insisted on managing and addressing the differences through dialogue and consultation. We have maintained self-restraint, and at the same time will take resolute measures against provocations, and safeguard our rights and interests,” he added.
In this context, Huang emphasized the importance of mutual understanding and people-to-people exchanges in bridging gaps and fostering stronger ties between the two nations.
“We are close neighbors, with an only two-hour flight from Manila to my hometown. We welcome you to travel to China and see it with your own eyes. You can also listen to what has been seen by the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos living in China, which may help you to better understand what China really is,” Huang concluded, inviting Filipinos to visit China and witness the country’s progress firsthand, offering a chance to gain a deeper understanding of China’s modern identity.