WEDNESDAY / APRIL 24, 2019
By DJ Yap
@deejayaplNQ
While the growing presence of
Chinese mainlanders in the
Philippines has alarmed some
quarters, Speaker Gloria Maca-
pagal-Arroyo wants business
leaders from China to feel "wel-
come without restriction" in
openirig shop here.
"And we hope that is the way
your business plans will also
end up. Welcome without re-
striction," Arroyo told Chinese
investors in her keynote speech
on Tuesday, the second and fi-
nal day of the first Boao Forum.
for Asia conference held in
Manila.
"'iVe want you to know the
Philippine business climate ...
demodstrated, our business cli-
mate is very very welcoming for
yourbusiness plans," she said.,
The Philippines, according
to Arroyo, needs to "exert maxi-
lnum effort to remove on-the-
ground bottlenecks that impede
implementation ofprojects that.
involve trade and/investment
groups from China.'t
The Speaker's remarks were
in line with President Duterte's
policy of forging close ties with
China, now the countrJ/s top
trade partner.
But that relationship is being
tested by tensions in the West
Philippine Sea as well as anti-
Chinese sentiment brought pri
by the increasing presence in the
Philippines of Chinese tourists,
workers and businessmen.
'
'llhey are everywhere*tak-
" m4g<--4q,
restriction'in PH
ing over our seas and lands and
robbing Filipinos of work and
livelihood," Magdaio Rep. Gary
Alejano said on Monday, react-
ing to repots abodt the in-
crease of chinese businesses on
Boricaylsland.
Arroyo said Chinese busi-
ness leaders were keen to un-
derstand restrictions and regu-
lations on the Philippine side in
doingbusiness here.
Ties better than ever
"clearly, the economic and
trade cooperation between our
two countries is as good as it
has ever been, better than it has
ever been in fact. The main
thin€ to focus on n6w is on the
implementation side," she said.
Arroyo, who cultivated
waim tieswith China duringher
nine-year presidency, said the
Philippihes should do more to
improve regulatory bottlenecks
for Chinese invdstois.
"What impresses me so
much is the erithusiasm dis-
played by investors from China.
,r'.'i
'..
They all came with their busi
ness plans and we in the Philip.
pines want to match the enthu.
siasm in the implementatior
side," she said.
Many Chinese busines{
leaders, she said, were "con'
cerned with the regulatort
side. '
"The companies from Chin;
wanted to know more on th{
regulatory policies and as yol
can see the efforts of the Philip'
pines to remove on the groun(
bottlenecks," Arroyo said. INQ