Arroyo: Look at China as partner, not as threat

Developing countries like the Philippines should look at China as a partner and not a threat, according to Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The former President, who was attending the Boao Forum for Asia’s annual conference, told reporters in Hainan that the Philippines would reap great benefits from its increasingly warm relations with its giant neighbor.

Opportunity

“The world should look at China’s rise as an opportunity rather than a threat,” said Arroyo, who was interviewed in the Chinese province on Thursday.

“The Philippines actually has been investing in China for quite some time now because we have a very big Filipino-Chinese community, so I’m sure they can invest further in China. At the same time, China is also now investing more and more in the Philippines,” she said.

Arroyo, who cultivated friendly relations with Beijing during her nine-year presidency, described such bilateral ties as “a win-win solution for the developing world.”

“So what I can say is that China’s effort in opening up has really been a boost for the economies of the world, especially the developing economies,” she said.