11 June 2025, BEIJING – As the Philippine Embassy in Beijing celebrated the 127th Anniversary of Philippine Independence, Ambassador Jaime A. FlorCruz in his speech honored the gallantry of Filipinos in their fight for freedom.

He recalled a similar display of courage and bravery during the Battle of Sta. Cruz, where Filipino and Chinese guerilla forces fought together to liberate the town of Laguna during the Second World War.

“We celebrate the 127th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence with the theme, ‘Freedom, Future, History.’ On June 12, 1898, our people declared independence from more than 300 years of colonial rule and asserted our freedom as a people and a nation,” the Philippine Ambassador said.

Guests to the diplomatic reception included descendants of a Filipino-Chinese Guerilla force who fought along with the Filipino freedom fighters in the Second World War.

“Ours is a story of honor, camaraderie and bravery in the fight for independence and self-determination. It is a story of our fight for freedom and nationhood,” he said.

The Ambassador also spoke of long-standing ties among Filipinos and Chinese, from centuries of exchanges to ongoing economic and people-to-people exchanges.

“Tonight, I wish to put the spotlight on people— the many men and women who have been building bridges of friendship between the Philippines and China,” Ambassador FlorCruz said, highlighting that the Embassy is also commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Philippines-China Diplomatic Reception.

Business leaders from the Philippines – such as Special Envoy Maynard Ngu, Mr. Salvador “Buddy” Zamora, and Mr. Carlos Chan – flew to Beijing on the invitation of Ambassador FlorCruz to grace the commemorative events in China.

During the reception, the Embassy also launched the book #MadeItInChina, a compilation of stories from an online series of the same title that featured Filipinos who have succeeded in China across different professions.

“Their stories are a testament to the strength and resilience of our people and highlight their distinctive contributions to the narrative of Philippine-China friendship. Their stories show that China is a place where Filipinos can find their chosen careers, thrive and succeed,” Ambassador FlorCruz said.

Maestro Raul Sunico, a world-renowned pianist, and the Loboc Children’s Choir travelled to China and performed during the diplomatic reception. The National Commission for Culture and the Arts supported the event through the Sentro Rizal Beijing. (30)