Philippines affirms support for Asean Smart Cities Network

SINGAPORE — The Philippines has reiterated its support for the establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Smart Cities Network (ASCN).

Manila, Cebu and Davao were among 26 cities in the Southeast Asian region chosen to serve as pilot cities for the ASCN.

In his speech at the ASEAN-China summit here before the weekend, President Duterte welcomed Beijing’s support for the ASCN which was among the highlights of the recently concluded 33rd ASEAN summit.

“ASEAN welcomes China’s support for the ASCN, and looks forward to the development of mutually beneficial partnerships between China and the ASCN pilot cities,” the Chief Executive said.

Duterte has been designated as the country coordinator for ASEAN-China dialogue relations until 2021.

As this developed, United States Vice President Mike Pence also announced in the ASEAN-US dialogue that the US would also invest on the same initiatives.

“To facilitate our dialogue, it is my privilege to announce this morning the new US-ASEAN Smart Cities partnership,” Pence said.

The effort, according to Pence, will spur renewed American investment in the region’s digital infrastructure, advancing prosperity and security in Southeast Asia.

In his speech at the ASEAN-China summit, Duterte noted the importance of Beijing, not just in boosting economic growth, but also in trade relations.

China has been ASEAN’s largest trading partner. Merchandise trade between ASEAN and China reached $441.6 billion in 2017, accounting for 17.1 percent of ASEAN’s total merchandise trade. Foreign direct investment flows from China to ASEAN amounted to $11.3 billion in 2017, accounting for 8.2 percent of total ASEAN’s FDI.

“ASEAN and China also continue to enhance cooperation in the area of connectivity, particularly with the launch of the ASEAN-China Year of Innovation this year. Collaboration has expanded into new areas, such as innovation, technology, Smart Cities, e-commerce and the digital economy,” the President said.

Another major initiative is the exploration of synergies between the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as well as sub-regional initiatives such as the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Master Plan.

“We also look forward to the full liberalization of the ASEAN-China Air Transport Agreement, which will not only facilitate greater people-to-people and economic linkages, but also complement MPAC 2025 and China’s initiative to develop a ‘21st Century Maritime Silk Road.’ The ASEAN and China look forward to the implementation of such cooperation in a mutually beneficial manner,” Duterte said.

He added that the ASEAN and China will continue active cooperation to strengthen equitable and sustainable development in the region.

The ASEAN looks forward to the active participation of China in efforts to narrow the development gap and enhance sub-regional cooperation and China’s continued support for ASEAN’s efforts in realizing the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Work Plan III as well as in sub-regional development, including in the Mekong area.