Filipino scholar urges Philippine government to strengthen dialogue with China | Insights

By Gan Tian

(ECNS) -- The year 2026 marks the fifth anniversary of the China-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

China-ASEAN economic,trade and investment cooperation will serve as an engine for the growth of both China and ASEAN, and will become a driving force for global economic growth, contributing to the overall resilience of the world economy, said Rommel Banlaoi, president of the Philippine Society for International Security Studies, during an exclusive interview with China News Network.

Banlaoi urged the Philippines, the rotating chair of ASEAN in 2026, to strengthen dialogue with China, stabilize bilateral relations, enhance mutual understanding and trust, carry out cooperation in multiple fields, and jointly safeguard regional stability and development.

"Mutually Beneficial Economic and Trade Cooperation"

The 48th ASEAN Summit recently concluded in Cebu, the Philippines. The statement adopted at the summit emphasized the need to strengthen energy security and regional resilience, stabilize agricultural supply chains, and enhance regional financial resilience and macroeconomic stability.

Banlaoi said that facing the current complex and changing geopolitical landscape, ASEAN member states should further strengthen cooperation and improve various mechanisms to better address energy security, food security, and regional security.

The professor noted that China has long been ASEAN's largest trading partner, while the economic and trade ties between the two sides continue to deepen.

Banlaoi believes that ASEAN should further deepen and expand multi-field cooperation with China, especially in the areas of health security, green industries, digital economy, and trade and investment, so as to strengthen the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership and cooperation.

Banlaoi listed the significance of deepening cooperation between the Philippines and China from four aspects and further elaborated on its importance.

First, he said, China and ASEAN countries can conduct joint research in the pharmaceutical field; second, China has exemplary practices in the application of electric vehicles and has achieved fruitful results in sustainable agriculture, from which ASEAN members can learn; third, China's experience can help Southeast Asian countries develop their digital economy; and fourth, robust China-ASEAN economic, trade and investment cooperation will serve as an engine for the growth of both China and ASEAN, and will become a driving force for global economic growth.

"Maintaining Dialogue and Communication"

In 2026, the Philippines holds the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN. Banlaoi urged the Philippines to always maintain dialogue and communication with China, enhance mutual understanding and trust, stabilize bilateral relations, and safeguard regional peace and stability.

"The Philippine government is currently resetting its bilateral relationship with China, and we need to sustain efforts to advance this process," the professor stated.

He emphasized, "What is important is that the two countries stabilize their bilateral relations, establish regular mechanisms, and always maintain dialogue and consultation. Once we understand each other, trust will be built, and we can then carry out cooperation in multiple fields."

In Banlaoi's view, the prospects for Philippines-China cooperation are broad, and practical cooperation can be carried out in areas such as maritime safety, fishery resources, marine environmental protection, and oil and gas cooperation.

Public data shows that in 2025, the bilateral trade volume between China and the Philippines reached $72.29 billion. China has been the Philippines' largest trading partner and largest source of imports for 10 consecutive years. China and the Philippines have signed cooperation agreements or memoranda in the fields of education, science and technology, culture, and military affairs.

At the end of the interview, Banlaoi pointed out that despite the current complex and changing situation, China and the Philippines should always keep communication channels open, strengthen communication and coordination, properly manage differences, promote a stable and improved bilateral relationship, and jointly safeguard regional stability and development.