\u201cThe Republic of the Philippines will be signing the Articles of Agreement (AOA) of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank before year-end, joining the newly created multilateral institution aimed at boosting infrastructure development and connectivity,\u201d the Department of Finance (DOF) in Manila said in a statement.<\/p>\n
The announcement came two days before the deadline for prospective founding members to sign\u00a0on the charter\u00a0of the\u00a0AIIB. Founding members include\u00a0the BRICS, half of the\u00a0European\u00a0Union and all of the Asian bloc, ASEAN.<\/p>\n
The Philippines has a dispute with China over territorial claims in parts of the South China Sea. \u00a0It has taken its case to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, but\u00a0China has declined to take part.<\/p>\n
Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay has said he wants the country to be a member of the China-backed\u00a0bank because it will spur more investment and employment in his country.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0country\u2019s indicative paid-in capital will be $196 million payable in five years, or $39 million per annum, said a government statement on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The Banks\u2019 board of directors and executive council will meet for the first time from Jan. 16 to 18 in Beijing.<\/p>\n
The bank, headquartered in Beijing, now has 57 members, that includes Germany, France, Italy, and the UK. It is expected to name its first lending projects in mid-2016.<\/p>\n
The China-backed multilateral development institution is tasked with financing infrastructure development across Asia.<\/p>\n
With an authorized capital of $100 billion, the AIIB\u00a0will finance infrastructure projects like the construction of roads, railways, and airports in the Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n
The ADB has estimated that in the next decade Asian countries will need $8 trillion in infrastructure investments to maintain the current economic growth rate.<\/p>\n
The AIIB will extend China\u2019s financial reach and compete not only with the World Bank, but also with the Asian Development Bank, which is heavily dominated by Japan.<\/p>\n
Phillipines joins China-baced bank. Days after the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank was formally launched, the government of\u00a0Philippines\u00a0said it will\u00a0sign\u00a0on to the bank\u2019s articles of agreement. Despite the opposition of Washington, Philippines, a major US ally in the region, has\u00a0joined … Continue reading ![\"South](\"http:\/\/www.w-t-w.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/South-China-Seas.jpg\")
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