China donates weapons and money to the Philippines

Beijing has shipped $16 million worth of weapons and ammunition, and previously provided financial aid, to the Philippines to fight Muslim rebels in Marawi.

President Rodrigo Duterte inspects a gun during the handover of a batch of Chinese guns at Clark Air Base. Photo: Reuters

According to Russia's Sputnik news site on June 30, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte himself was present at the ceremony to receive a large batch of weapons from Beijing.

“There were times when we felt like we were running out of breath due to lack of equipment. It’s good that we have a very understanding friend like China,” Mr. Duterte said sweetly when receiving the gift.

Since taking office, the Philippine president has vowed to diversify funding sources beyond just receiving help from the United States.

As in the fight against the Maute Islamic terrorist group in Marawi city, the Philippines also received logistical support from US special forces and coordinated joint patrols with neighboring countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia in the waters between the Sulu and Sabah archipelagos.

The shipments this time included wooden crates containing nearly 3,000 assault and sniper rifles and six million rounds of ammunition on display at the event held at Clark Air Base, a former US military base north of Manila.

“The funding is not large but it is very large in the sense of marking a new era of relations between the two militaries and it comes at a very timely time,” said Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua, referring to the fight against the two terrorist groups Abu Sayyaf and Maute in the southern Philippines.

Mr Zhao confirmed that China will continue to send a second package of weapons in the coming months. “This is just the beginning,” the Straits Times quoted the Chinese ambassador as saying.

Ambassador Zhao said Beijing also wants to strengthen military ties with Manila through “intelligence sharing, joint military training and exercises in terrorist areas.”

In addition to providing weapons, the Chinese Foreign Ministry earlier this week also donated 15 million pesos (about 300,000 USD) to the Philippines to support people who lost their homes due to the war and to rebuild Marawi City, according to Xinhua News Agency.

When receiving his Philippine counterpart Alan Peter Cayetano in Beijing on June 29, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also declared that China will provide all “necessary support” to the Philippines.

Mr. Wang Yi said China has dispatched the first ship carrying emergency supplies and equipment to the Philippines, and will continue to do its best to help and support Manila when necessary./.

According to Tuoi Tre