At 15:00 on July 14th, 2016, Wu Jiewei, the vice dean of School of Foreign Languages in Peking University, delivered a speech entitled ‘Political Culture of the Philippines in the 30-year Presidential Elections’ at Room 301(3), Nan ‘an building for the teachers and students in Xiamen University. Present at the lecture were Professor Fan Hongwei, the vice dean of School of International Relations and the host of the lecture, Professor Shi Xueqin, Associate Professor Zhao Haili, Associate Professor Zhang Xudong and Associate Professor Wang Hu, etc.
Professor Wu started his lecture with the reports of Chinese media about South China Sea arbitration, bringing up that ‘Only by comprehending with sufficiency and reporting with equity can the harmonious relationship between the two countries be achieved’. Professor Wu believes that a deeper understanding of Philippine political culture should be reached to improve Sino-Philippine relationship and that presidential elections in the Philippines can indicate the features of its political culture. Professor Wu illustrated some factors influencing the process of presidential election in the Philippines by giving an introduction of its political system and the corresponding electoral system. What’s more, the general election in 2016 was also taken as an example to analyze the election campaigns such as advertising campaign, TV debate, public speeches, visiting the masses and so on.
In Philippine presidential elections, candidates usually get the support of his birthplace and administration area. Using statistics to analyze the influence of the powerful political dynasties in the presidential elections over the years, Professor Wu pointed out that family politics is one of the most conspicuous features of Philippine political culture and that the tolerance to the politicians given by the public, the appreciation of star candidates and electioneering, and the campaign’s adaption to the local culture, also influence the outcome of the elections to some extent.
At the end of the speech, Professor Wu patiently answered the questions raised by students present and shared his viewpoints. Shi Xueqin and Fan Hongwei, professors in Research School for Southeast Asian Studies, came up with their own understanding of the Sino-Philippine relationship development trend, according to their experience in Southeast Asian countries.
In the lecture, detailed statistics and information were shown to the audience. Besides, several typical cases were also illustrated, making Philippine political culture more understandable. When it comes to the statues of Sino-Philippine relationships, Professor Wu believes that a better relationship between the two countries requires efforts from both sides.
Through the speech, the students have gained a deeper understanding of the methods applicable in academic research and a broader vision of Sino-Philippine relationship. Meanwhile, strong interest in Philippine political culture and discussion about Sino-Philippine relationship have been promoted among the students. Thanks for the excellent speech and the opportunity to exchange academic ideas given by Professor Wu.
By Cai Baozhen
