RELATIONS between the Philippines and China have entered a “Golden Age,” newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said upon his arrival in Manila on Tuesday.

Mr. Huang, who served as Chinese ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, will take the place of Zhao Jianhua.

Philippine-China relations under President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping “have gone through a trilogy of turn-around, consolidation and elevation in the past three years, ushering in a fresh Golden Age for the two countries,” Mr. Huang said in a statement.

“Truly delighted for the Philippines’ accomplishment, I have every reason to believe and expect that the country will achieve greater strength and prosperity in the coming years and decades,” he added.

Mr. Huang received his Bachelor’s degree at the Beijing Foreign Studies University and his Master’s degree at the University of Manchester. He served as a Chinese envoy in Brunei and India.

The embassy noted that Mr. Huang’s appointment comes ahead of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Philippines diplomatic relations in 2020.

Mr. Duterte has sought closer investment and trade ties with Beijing, including over resources in the disputed sea, since he became president in June 2016.

He has tried to befriend Mr. Xi, hoping to secure billions of dollars of investment, avoiding challenging China over its activities in the South China Sea including its militarized artificial islands.

Senator Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel earlier filed a resolution seeking a national security audit over concerns that China might be accessing the country’s power grid system.

The State Grid Corp. of China was part of the group that was awarded the 25-year concession agreement to operate Transco’s power transmission facilities

China has belied the claims. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR