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Manila (AFP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping is traveling on Tuesday for his first state visit to the Philippines, a traditional ally of the United States which is a key prize as Beijing and Washington vie for supremacy in the Pacific.
China has achieved outstanding success with the 2016 election of President Rodrigo Duterte, which has shaken the Philippine's secular connection with the United States while seeking trade and investment from their US rival.
Manila said that she hoped that this two-day stopover, the first of a Chinese president for 13 years, will finally resolve the agreements signed for investments in major infrastructure projects promised by Beijing during of Duterte's visit two years ago.
China has dispersed tens of billions of dollars in loans since 2013 by reinforcing its political influence on a global scale, thus countering the American hegemony that has characterized the order of the aftermath. war, especially in Asia.
Duterte embraced Xi enthusiastically, dismissing even a key decision of 2016 from an international tribunal that declared without merit Beijing's expanded claim on the South China Sea.
At the same time, the mercurial leader declared the end of the Philippines' bid relations with the United States, even calling the then US President, Barack Obama, "the son of one." whore. "
But relations have been more lenient since Donald Trump became president of the United States and abandoned American criticism of Duterte's anti-drug crackdown that killed thousands of people.
The dispute over the South China Sea, rich in natural resources, a vital transit route for billions of trade exchanges, has resulted in a freeze of relations between Manila and Beijing, which has thawed with Duterte's pivot.
– Duterte take a ride? –
China subsequently pledged $ 24 billion in loans and investments, but only a tiny portion was spent, prompting critics to claim that Duterte had been fooled.
At the same time, others have warned against a "debt trap", citing the record of China's loans to the rest of the developing world.
According to Philippine analyst Richard Heydarian, China's promises have prompted Manila to "adopt a soft stance" on the South China Sea issue, without, however, fulfilling its commitment.
"We know that there has been a geopolitical calculation," he told AFP. "What makes him rush if Duterte gave them what they want?"
The Philippine Budget Secretary, Benjamin Diokno, admitted that the delays were due in part to the lack of understanding of the Philippines' bidding process, but he did not hide his wish that things s & # 39; accelerating.
"The visit of the Chinese head of state will put pressure on the team (in Beijing)," added Diokno.
Gregory Wyatt, director of business intelligence at PSA Philippines Consultancy, said major projects face many obstacles in the Philippines, such as right-of-way issues, regulatory approvals and political dissent.
"The foreign investment came, not the infrastructure loans," he added.
Chinese investment in the Philippines has been multiplied by five in the first six months of the year, following an expansion of 67 percent last year, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a statement. a visit to Manila last month.
Bilateral trade also exceeded 10% in both periods, he added.
Chinese investors have invested money in online gaming, real estate, service providers and stakes in existing Filipino companies, but not in large scale infrastructure or in the US. manufacturing industry, said Wyatt.
While the government supported him, "that does not mean that all local bureaucrats, politicians, and the general public engage enthusiastically," Wyatt said.
