Gloria Arroyo: China not a rival but an investor, donor

Former president and incumbent Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo believes that China should be treated not as a rival, but an investor and a donor to the Philippines.

"When China was beginning to awaken in the 1980s, many Filipinos are wary of China, they thought that China was potentially a rival," Arroyo said during an interview on CNN-Philippines Monday.

"At the time, the world still did not realize that among Asian countries was a class of its own. Today 40 years later, we see that China is not a rival. It is a market, an investor, a donor," she added.

Arroyo said the Duterte administration's policy as regards to its relationship with China is almost identical to her approach during her term as Chief Executive.

"When I was president, I focused on developing closer economic and business ties with China. That is the policy of President Duterte today, very similar to mine," she said.

President Rodrigo Duterte has been vocal that he wants to maintain a warm relationship with China despite issues on the ownership of the resource-rich West Philippine Sea.

When it comes to the country's relations to the United States (US), Arroyo said Duterte merely wants a relationship with the Americans that is based on mutual respect.

"Going to the US, we have strong historical ties with the US. We have very strong fundamental values with the US like desire for freedom and for democracy. It is in our national interest to be friends with America," Arroyo said.

"The way I see President Duterte, he is seeking friendship with America, but it has to be clearly from a position of mutual respect," she added. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News