China eyes Ro-Ro for Subic, Guangdong

By KRIS BAYOS

MANILA, Philippines — The People’s Republic of China (PROC) has shown particular interest in co-establishing roll on, roll off (RoRo) ports for Guangdong,China, and Subic Bay, Olongapo City or Batangas.

Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II disclosed this Monday, saying the Chinese government expressed interest to finance more transportation infrastructure projects in the
Philippines aside from the botched North Luzon Railway project.

Aside from the ports inter-operability, the Chinese government is also interested in financing the proposed China-Philippines Nautical Highway, which is envisioned to improve transportation in the areas where it will be built, said Roxas, who was part of the Philippine contingent during the President Aquino’s state visit to China last week.

“What they want to do is integrate their manufacturing bases with our labor force as labor cost in China has considerably gone up,” he said.

“If this plan pushes through, raw materials or semi-finished products will be loaded to these Ro-Ro ships to make the industrial goods coming over to our industrial zones. They will be sent to China for final assembly and will be sent back to us as finished products,” he added.

“The Chinese leadership expressed openness to further extend credit lines made available to the country so that these projects can have financing,” he added.

“The question now is if we do need these projects and if so, in what configuration and what reasonable price do these projects entail,” Roxas said.

The DoTC chief said the Chinese government’s concurrence with the Philippine government’s position that the North Luzon Railway project needed reconfiguration and interest to finance more infrastructure projects in the country proves the two nation’s cooperation despite tensions over the disputed Spratly’s islands.

“Notwithstanding the disagreements relative to the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea, the relations between the two nations remain steadfast because of these pronouncements,” Roxas said.