The Chinese Embassy in Manila together with the Film Development Council of the Philippine and Movie and Television Review and Classification Board launched the 2023 China Film Festival in Newport Commercial and Entertainment Complex in Pasay City.
China Ambassador Huang Xilian led the 2023 China Film Festival kick- off ceremony at Pasay’s Newport Cinema last Tuesday evening, Nov. 28, with One and Only (Re Lie), an inspirational movie commercially successful on home soil, as a joyful opening to the event.
The film festival is organized by the Chinese Embassy, in association with China Film Archive, FDCP, MTRCB and Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, as part of key measures in implementing the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and also promoting cultural interactions between China and the Philippines.
“Pleased to see Chinese movies continue to make their presence felt as ever in the Philippines after collaborative efforts and Filipino friends could relish the chance of watching One and Only (Re Lie), the latest blockbuster that relates a story about a nobody in pursuit of his dream as a professional break-dancer amid difficulties and obstacles, quite echoing with young viewers and we are thankful to FDCP Chairman Hon. Tirso S. Cruz III, MTRCB Representative Hon. Lillian N. Gui, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls AVP Mr. Mark Sta. Ana, Special Envoy of the President to China Hon. Benito Techico, NCCA Chairman Hon. Victorino Mapa Manalo, and my diplomatic colleagues and all of the distinguished guests and honorable representatives, among others, for their being present and supportive,” the Chinese envoy said.
Film, characterized by diverse cultures, is a major medium for intercultural communication, helpfully bridging the gap between peoples from all walks of life across the world in this regard. Geographical proximity, ancestral tie and cultural affinity have bonded China and the Philippines in a traditional friendship through the ages. Such connections also have laid the foundation for bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the field of film and beyond, he said.
I believe, the China film festival will and can help the Philippine people gain a deeper appreciation of culture and society of China, and also bring our two peoples even closer, Amb. Huang Xilian stressed.
During the film festival, there will be a total of six new movies on show, which range from action, drama, comedy to science fiction and cartoon. As per the screening program, these movies are slated to hit the local cinemas not only in Manila but also in the provinces of Laguna and Pampanga.
Themed “enhancing connectivity and sharing prosperity,” an ASEAN-China forum kicked off in Vientiane, Laos on November 27, highlighting the achievements and prospects of aligning China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC2025).
Shen Yueyue, vice chairperson of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said at the forum’s opening that over the past decade, China-ASEAN economic and cultural exchanges have increased dramatically, and political mutual trust has deepened.
According to Shen, China will adhere to ASEAN as a priority direction in its neighborhood diplomacy, further strengthen strategic synergy with ASEAN members and achieve a higher level of connectivity and integrated development, including infrastructure cooperation, negotiations on the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) 3.0, and strengthening cooperation in the fields of green, digital and new energy, as well as exchanges in culture, tourism, and education.
China and ASEAN remain each other’s top trading partners, with bilateral trade between China and the ASEAN increasing by 0.9 percent year-on-year to 5.23 trillion yuan ($374 billion) in the first 10 months of 2023, accounting for more than 15 percent of China’s total foreign trade during the same period, official data shows.
