VP Sara hopes for enhanced education cooperation with China
VICE PRESIDENT and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio on Wednesday expressed hope to “intensify” education cooperation with China at all levels.
This, she said during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who responded that China is ready to “deepen” educational cooperation with the Philippines.
In particular, Wang said they wanted to enhance the understanding and cognition of China among the younger generation of the Philippines, cement the foundation of public support for friendship between the two countries and provide intellectual support for bilateral practical cooperation.
“China supports more Philippine young people to study in China and will facilitate the return of the Philippine students to China for their studies,” he said in a statement.
The minister also said China is ready to “strengthen the cooperation” in vocational education and language training and help the Philippines improve its teaching facilities and modernize its teaching.
Sara said she “fully agrees” with China’s proposals and looks forward to the prospect of Philippines-China cooperation, the China Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Last July 6, 2022, Vice President Duterte-Carpio met with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was paying a visit to the Philippines upon invitation, in Manila.
Wang Yi congratulated Sara on her election as Philippine Vice President and conveyed cordial greetings from President Xi Jinping to former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Wang Yi said that over the past six years, under the care and guidance of President Xi Jinping and former President Duterte, China-Philippines relations have achieved turnarounds, consolidation, and upgrading.
China appreciates the Philippines for upholding the spirit of independence, safeguarding national dignity, and speeding up national development.
The minister said, “China is ready to deepen bilateral cooperation in the four key areas of agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and culture based on the policy priorities of the new Philippine administration and the aspirations and needs of the Philippine people, to bring more benefits to the people of the two countries.”
Sara said the Chinese government has strongly supported Philippines’ “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) program and its pandemic response, and the sister cities of China have offered selfless assistance to the local development of the Philippines, fully demonstrating China’s friendship and goodwill.
“The Philippine side is grateful for that. The Philippine side looks forward to working with China to deepen the synergy with the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ and advance practical cooperation in four key areas. I also serve concurrently as Education Minister. China is a great education nation. The Philippine side hopes to intensify educational cooperation with China at all levels,” the vice president said.
Wang Yi said education comes first in national development, and China is “ready to deepen educational cooperation with the Philippines to enhance the understanding and cognition of China among the younger generation of the Philippines” – cementing the foundation of public support for friendship between the two countries and provide academic support for bilateral practical cooperation.
Vice President Sara said she fully “agrees” with China’s proposals and looks forward to the prospect of Philippines-China cooperation.
