MANILA, Philippines – Economic ties between China and the Philippines have gotten stronger under the Duterte administration, and Ayala Corporation is making sure to ride the investment frenzy.

Ayala Corporation chairman and chief executive officer Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said on Friday, April 26, that they are aiming to be the first company to build the country’s first Sino-Philippine industrial park in Porac, Pampanga. 

Zobel de Ayala noted that they were the first to build the country’s first industrial park in Laguna, teaming up with Japanese company giant Mitsubishi.

Ayala Land President Bobby Dy said the company is in talks with one of China’s largest tile manufacturers to set up one of their plants in the Philippines.

“The initial manufacturing plan is now underway for this industrial park in Porac in about a few months…we’re now starting to look and very close in securing the large parcel [of land] to be able to build the Sino-Philippine joint venture for the industrial park to be able to attract more Chinese locators in the Philippines,” Dy said.

Dy said the Chinese company will cater to both domestic and international markets.

Zobel de Ayala said the conglomerate has strong ties with Chinese companies. He noted that their decades-long relationship with technology firm Huawei helped boost Globe Telecom’s position in the country’s telecommunications space. 

He also said the technology of Chinese firms helped in the rollout of some projects of AC energy.

The news of a Sino-Philippine industrial park comes as President Rodrigo Duterte rakes in deals with China during his participation in the 2nd Belt and Road forum in Beijing. – Rappler.com