China to buy $1bn in agricultural products from the Philippines
China is set to buy $1bn worth of agricultural products from the Philippines, according to Philippines Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez. The agreement will be signed during a Chinese visit by Vice Premier Wang Yang when he heads to the Philippines later in March. This comes after the Chinese ban on Filipino produce was lifted in October last year, with $100m of bananas and pineapples being exported from the Philippines to China since then.
MANILA - China will buy $1 billion in agricultural products from the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte's trade minister said Wednesday, as the two countries continued to deepen trade ties.

The purchase agreement will be signed when Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang visits the Philippines this month, said Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez

China will buy Mindanao delicacies like durian and marang as well as avocadoes, bananas, pineapples, coconuts, mangoes, dragon fruits, mangosteens, rice, coffee, cacao, fish, chicken and duck meat, Lopez said.

Since the lifting of Chinese ban in October, Filipino farmers have exported $100 million in bananas and pineapples to China.

Ties between Beijing and Manila have thawed since Duterte assumed office last year and set aside an international arbitration court's ruling that favored the Philippines in its sea dispute with China.