President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. formally welcomed the newly designated ambassadors of the Republic of Chile and the People’s Republic of China during a presentation of credentials ceremony held at Malacañan Palace on Thursday.
The President received the letters of credence from His Excellency Felipe Alejandro Diaz Ibañez, Ambassador of the Republic of Chile, and His Excellency Jing Quan, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China. The presentation of credentials officially marks the beginning of the ambassadors’ diplomatic tenure, underscoring a shared commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and fostering international cooperation.
Welcoming the new Chilean envoy, President Marcos expressed confidence in the continued strengthening of the Philippines-Chile bilateral relationship, which formalized diplomatic relations in 1946.
“We are happy that an old friend of the Philippines has returned, and the long and very fine relationship between our two countries will continue, and we would continue to promote an even longer and even closer relationship between our two countries,” President Marcos stated.
Ambassador Diaz Ibañez is a familiar face, having previously served as consul at the Embassy of Chile in the Philippines from 2003 to 2008.
In his remarks to Ambassador Jing Quan, President Marcos recognized China as one of the Philippines’ most important friends and partners globally. The Philippines and China established diplomatic relations in 1975.
“I’m sure that there will be many opportunities for us to make the relationship between our two countries stronger, deeper, and more important as the years go by,” said the President.
The President also stressed the importance of managing complex issues while prioritizing cooperation, stating:
“I look forward to working with you in managing the differences and intensifying the cooperation between our two countries. Our differences should be the exception in our ties rather than the norm.”
Both new ambassadors pledged to dedicate their efforts toward the deepening of bilateral cooperation and friendly relations between the Philippines and their respective countries, promising to work closely with the administration to advance shared interests.
