Big Chinese traders in the field of manufacturing may soon invest in the city once the sisterhood agreement between the city and the Chinese city of Chongqing will be laid down, an official said.
Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC) head April Marie Dayap told members of the media Saturday, in the sidelines of the visit of the Chongqing delegates led by Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China Secretary Chen Min’Er, that manufacturing will be among the areas of venture by both cities once the agreement will be signed.
“Secretary Chen Min’Er said they will bring big businessmen here in the city to have signing of business deals,” Dayap said.
Dayap also said Chongqing, one of the major cities in China, is a large producer of automobiles and cellphones, hence, the city will benefit should the investors come in to the city.
Other than manufacturing, areas for possible venture include education, vocational courses for skilled workers, tourism, human resource, sports, and manufacturing.
“We are ready to accept them and look for possibilities for more cooperation. This is for the mutual benefit of Davao and Chongqing,” Dayap said.
Dayap also expressed her hopes that there will be a direct flight that will connect both localities.
“We are hoping that there will be a direct Davao-Chongqing flight,” said Dayap.
The Chongqing delegates, Dayap said, came in via Manila “because prior to the Philippines, they also came from Singapore.”
Meanwhile, the signing of the city sisterhood agreement is still to be laid down because Mayor Sara Duterte is still on leave status.
“They could not sign the letter of intent primarily because Mayor Sara is still on leave but they have handed over their letter of intent on the sister city agreement between us,” Dayap said.
“The Davao City International Relations Board can reconsider it for possible sister city agreement between Davao and Chongqing. The signing will come after the approval from the City Council because the mayor could not sign the agreement as well without the approval of the legislative authority,” she added.
Dayap said they “are very happy that there intention to become our sister city is very strong.”
Dayap did not disclose yet if Davao City delegations will also fly to Chongqing.
“We have to plan it out yet. There is an invitation but there is no definite date yet,” she said.
Once approved, Chongqing will become the third “sister” of the city in China after it signed agreements with Jinjiang and Nanning City.
Chongqing, considered as the largest city proper in the world, is one of the four areas under the administration of the central government of the People’s Republic of China (the other three are Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin).
