Davao City and Fujian Province of China are looking to deepen their economic and development partnership, with potential technical exchanges in agriculture, traditional medicine, and disaster risk management identified as areas for cooperation.
The Davao City Government, through the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC), hosted a courtesy call Thursday for a delegation from Fujian’s foreign affairs office led by Huang Shaorong, Deputy Director-General of the Fujian Provincial Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Republic of China.
Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte welcomed the delegation and expressed support for the proposed technical cooperation, particularly initiatives that could improve agricultural productivity and strengthen food security in Davao City.
Duterte emphasized the importance of agricultural self-sufficiency in protecting livelihoods and supporting the local economy. He also said he would encourage concerned City Council committees to pursue agriculture and healthcare initiatives that could eventually be institutionalized through local ordinances.
Among the members of the Fujian delegation were Tang Hao, deputy president and researcher of the Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Liu Zhizhen, director of Laboratory Management and Science & Technology Innovation for Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Fujian officials presented the province’s experience and capabilities in agriculture and expressed willingness to share technical expertise with Davao, particularly in increasing the productivity of staple crops such as rice and potatoes.
The discussions likewise explored possible collaboration in traditional Chinese medicine and disaster risk management, creating opportunities for technical exchanges, knowledge-sharing, and technology transfer.
DCIPC said the meeting could help identify practical areas of cooperation that may eventually support local industries, improve public services, and contribute to Davao’s development priorities.
“This engagement with Fujian Province opens opportunities for Davao City to access technical expertise, strengthen knowledge-sharing, and explore partnerships that can contribute to our agriculture, healthcare, and disaster resilience sectors,” DCIPC said.
Beyond technical cooperation, the meeting also highlighted the broader economic and institutional potential of the partnership.
Huang said Fujian is now implementing the third iteration of its five-year framework for strengthening subnational cooperation with key partner cities. Davao City has been identified as one of the province’s important partners under its international cooperation agenda.
The framework could provide a platform for sustained exchanges between Davao and Fujian, allowing both sides to develop stronger institutional ties and pursue long-term technical and economic partnerships.
“DCIPC sees this as an important step toward building sustained subnational cooperation with Fujian Province, particularly in areas where technical collaboration can generate tangible benefits for Davao’s industries, communities, and investment environment,” the agency said.
