On March 12, 2022, from 10 am to 12 noon, PACS held the third webinar in celebrating PACS@35. The panel theme was “Philippines-China Relations in Times of Crisis”. Three panelists discussed key issues in Philippines-China relations amidst crisis, particularly on the current pandemic, natural disasters, and health security. The panel also examined how this crisis affects ethnicity issues in the Philippines, particularly among the Tsinoy communities. The panel was moderated by EG Dizon. The first paper, presented by Dr. Lina Gong was about “Philippines-China Relations and Disaster Diplomacy in Southeast Asia.” According to Dr. Gong, China’s disaster diplomacy was once nascent compared to other major powers but has currently gained prominence, especially in Southeast Asia. The features of China’s disaster diplomacy include state centricity, a preference for bilateralism over multilateralism, and a focus on non-conflict settings. Dr. Gong also stressed that China’s disaster diplomacy in the Philippines has focused on humanitarian aid, disaster management, and the recent pandemic.
The second topic, “Health Security and Wellness During the Pandemic: Experiences of Chinese and Filipinos” was presented by Dr. Tan Cho Chiong. His discussion concentrated on Chinese traditional medicine and its role in managing symptoms of COVID-19. He also introduced different medical organizations such as the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care, an organization that promotes traditional medicine as part of the country’s health care system. These organizations shared the practice of using traditional Chinese medicines in managing COVID-19 symptoms with different medical organizations in the Philippines.
The last presentation on “Ethnicity Issues in Philippines-China Relations During the Pandemic” was delivered by Ms. Carmela Ang See. She explored the dynamics of ethnicity issues that concern the Filipinos, Tsinoys, and new Chinese immigrants during the pandemic. Ms. Ang See noted the rampant circulation of fake news and the rise of xenophobia, especially in social media, and the blurring of distinctions between new immigrants from China and the Tsinoys. Ms. Ang See also explained that Filipino distrust of China is based on a myriad of issues including the closeness of Duterte to China and the clash over territorial claims in the South China Sea. However, Ms. Ang See reported that despite current ethnic issues, Tsinoy organizations have continued with their philanthropic activities in different parts of the country especially in countering the impact of the pandemic. The session ended with an open forum.
