President Rodrigo Duterte is set to visit China this October, signaling deeper trade ties with the country. (Photo : Getty Images)
China is looking to explore more opportunities for farm and fisheries imports in the Philippines as it lifts ban on a local fruit, which could signal that the two countries are ironing out differences triggered by the sea row dispute.
China is resuming shipments from 27 suspended exporters of Philippine bananas as a "gift" when President Rodrigo Duterte visits Beijing on Oct. 19 to 21, Reuters reported.
"I would look at that as a goodwill move," Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol told Reuters in an interview. "The atmosphere would be positive."
According to Reuters, Pinol's comments "suggest Duterte is following through on his promises to build a commercial alliance with China," as stressed a number of times in his speeches.
Reuters noted that the trade talk is "hugely symbolic" and marks a "stark turnaround in ties" after The Hague's earlier ruling over the sea dispute earlier went in favor of the Philippines. In July, an international tribunal in The Hague rejected China's claims in the South China Sea, casting darker shadows over Beijing and Manila's relationship.
The Philippines, the world's second-largest importer of bananas after Ecuador, was banned from exporting the said produce to China last March.
About 35 tons of bananas from the Philippines were destroyed by China, with damages amounting to $33,000. According to Chinese officials, the bananas were destroyed over noncompliance, saying it detected the presence of the pest Dysmicoccus neobrevipes in the shipment made by NKM Import/Export Inc. to Dalian Kawoo Import and Export Co. Ltd, Manila-based news website Philstar reported.
Banana exports remain an important industry for the Philippines. In 2015, the country exported $157.5 million worth of bananas to China.
"We very much appreciate the action of the Chinese government as this will relieve our banana farmers from the serious problem during the suspension considering that China is a huge market for our banana industry," Pinol said in a separate interview with Philstar.
