FORMER First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos was the guest of honor at the opening of the new chancery of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines Thursday.
Despite being on a wheel chair, the 94-year old mother of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appeared to be in good spirits, smiling at Chinese Embassy officials and other Filipino-Chinese guests.
Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian greeted her with a red carpet welcome at the new chancery in Forbes Park, Makati City.
In his speech, Ambassador Huang paid tribute to Imelda’s role in paving the way for Manila-Beijing official diplomatic relations.
Fifty years ago, in September 1974, Imelda led the diplomatic mission to Beijing and met with then China’s leader Chairman Mao Zedong.
“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first visit of Madam Imelda to China in 1974. Thus, a historic visit during which she opened the diplomatic ties and paved the way for the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975,” Ambassador Huang said.
According to Huang, the Chinese people still remember Imelda singing, “Wo Ai Beijing Tiananmen” (I Love, Beijing Tiananmen) in 1979 during the visit of President Marcos Sr.
“As we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties next year, it is highly opportune to walk through the ice-breaking journey as we witnessed just now, draw experience from history and seek inspirations for the present and future,” he said.
He said the Philippine-China bilateral relationship “still needs to be delicately nurtured and guided by pioneers, wholeheartedly safeguarded by us now, and passionately inherited by future and younger generations.”
In her brief remarks, Imelda congratulated the Embassy for its new chancery.
“Let’s continue working together to achieve our shared goals and objectives for the betterment of both our nations and its people. Xiexie,” Mrs. Marcos said.
First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos also sent her congratulatory remarks in a video message played during the intimate ceremony.
Image credits: PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL LONG
