(Photo/Thepaper.cn)

Manila will hold a Fujian Week in the Philippine capital in March 2017 to further cement ties between the two countries in the wake of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to China. The event will focus on China-Philippines economic and cultural exchange. 

Some 90 percent of Chinese in the Philippines are originally from Fujian province. Fujian Week is expected to bring their hometown to them - even for those with little firsthand knowledge of China or Fujian, according to Julius Caesar Aragon Flores, consul general at the Philippine Consulate in Xiamen. Flores added that Fujian Week came on heels of Duterte’s visit to China, as the visit provided a good opportunity to promote ties, Thepaper.cn reported.

During Fujian Week – scheduled to occur March 22-24, 2017 - more than 500 Chinese enterprises are expected to be invited to visit Manila’s economic zones and attend business forums for cooperative opportunities, according to Thepaper.cn.

Many Chinese companies have shown interest in investing in the Philippines, but more detailed investment plans need to be developed, noted Li Fengwu, president of the Filipino-Chinese General Chamber of Commerce.

Xu Haigang, head of the Philippine-China Friendship Association, told Thepaper.cn that an information imbalance between China and the Philippines has caused a lack of knowledge among Chinese companies when it comes to business plans in the Philippines. According to Xu, Fujian Week will introduce Chinese companies in industries that are fully developed in China but still young in the Philippines. Companies will also be guided by propositions made by Philippine authorities.