MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday defended President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr's state visit to China next week amid the soaring number of COVID-19 infections there.

Marcos will push through with his trip to Beijing next week even as multiple health agencies report millions of fresh COVID-19 cases allegedly being unreported in China.

But DFA Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs Nathaniel Imperial said the meeting is important for the two leaders.

"It will be the first bilateral visit of the President to a non-ASEAN country since assuming the presidency," Imperial said during a Palace briefing.

"There is an expectation that the state visit will set the tone of bilateral relations between the two countries," he added.

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Marcos could not postpone his state visit to China as Manila regards Beijing as a “very important economic partner,” Imperial said.

“May mga pagbisita talaga na hindi natin puwedeng ipostpone,” he said.

“There is no decision to shorten the visit. It’s basically as scheduled,” he said.

Malacañang Press Briefer Daphne Paez said 20 percent of the country's total trade is with China.

Imperial noted that Chief Executive's state visit is expected to reaffirm the "cordial and neighborly relations" between the two countries and build on investment ties.

SAFETY OF MARCOS

Imperial said China has assured the safety of Marcos, Jr. and his delegation during his 3-day state visit.

“We have received assurances from our Chinese hosts that all arrangements are being made to ensure the safety of the President and his delegation during the visit,” said Neal Imperial, DFA Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs.

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“A bubble arrangement has been agreed for the Philippine delegation to minimize the risk of exposure to the virus,” he said.

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The Philippine delegation traveling with Marcos, as well as the media covering the state visit, have been asked to take an RT-PCR test 48 hours before the trip, another test 24 hours before departure, and a third RT-PCR test upon arrival in Beijing.

A fourth RT-PCR test will be administered for “all participants of official events… two hours before the start of events,” according to an advisory from the Malacañang.

Delegates who will test positive but are asymptomatic will be ”transferred to designated quarantine rooms in the hotel for observation.”

Those who will test positive and exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 “will be transferred to a designated hospital for treatment.”

“Kung mayroon mang magpositibo kailangan siyang mag quarantine at ma-isolate until gumaling, and only then will that person be allowed to return to the Philippines,” Imperial said.

“That person will have to wait until he tests negative before that person can go back to [the] Philippines because we also have to protect the Philippines from the spread of these new variants in China,” he said.

When asked who will shoulder the cost of the RT-PCR tests and the possible isolation of delegates, the DFA official said: “That is being worked out between the 2 sides.”

A meeting with the Filipino community, a staple event in Marcos’ overseas trips, was not included in the President’s itinerary in Beijing in accordance with China’s health protocols, Imperial said.

“We have to follow the COVID protocols in China so there cannot be big gatherings,” he said.

“As far as the visit is concerned, every precaution is being undertaken to ensure that the delegation is not infected and does not bring back to the Philippines new variants of the virus.”

As for imposing stricter health protocols for inbound travelers from China, Imperial said that the DFA would heed the advice of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on COVID-19.

“We have not received any advisory from the IATF for now,” he said.

Marcos will travel to China on January 3, and will return to Manila on January 5.