PBBM, unang head of state na bibisita sa China sa 2023

SI Pangulong  Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. ang unang world leader na nakatakdang bumisita sa China sa  2023.

Sa idinaos na Foreign Ministry press conference ng China, sinabi ni spokesperson Wang Wenbin na  “Marcos will be the first foreign head of state China will receive in the new year.”

“This will be President Marcos’s first visit to China after taking office and his first official visit to a non-ASEAN country. It fully demonstrates the high importance China and the Philippines attach to bilateral relations,” ayon pa rin kay Wenbin.

Sa magiging pagbisita ng Pangulo, magkakaroon Ito ng pag-uusap kay Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“Leaders of the two sides will have in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relations and regional and international issues of mutual interest and jointly chart the course forward for our relationship,” dagdag na wika ni Wenbin.

Samantala, sa unang  State of the Nation Address (SONA) ng Pangulo noong Hulyo, sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos na ang kanyang administrasyon ay  “will stand firm in our independent foreign policy, with the national interest as our primordial guide.”

Iginiit naman ng Pangulo na hindi niya hayaan ang China na yurakan ang  maritime rights ng Pilipinas sa karagatan, taliwas kay dating Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte, na atubili na batikusin ang superpower.

Bibyahe ang Pangulo patungong China kasama si Unang Ginang Liza Marcos, dating Pangulong  Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, at ilang cabinet secretaries. (Daris Jose)