Chinese top legislator Wu Bangguo met with the President of the
Senate of the Philippines Franklin Drilon on Monday.
Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's
Congress (NPC), praised the relations between China and the
Philippines, saying China is ready to make joint efforts with the
Philippines to strengthen cooperation in various fields.
Wu recalled the visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao to the
Philippines last year during the 30th anniversary of the
establishment of China-Philippines diplomatic ties.
During the visit, Wu said, the two heads of state agreed to
establish a strategic and cooperative relationship, which clearly
pointed in the right direction for the development of bilateral
relations.
Wu noted that China, the Philippines and Vietnam have made a
great breakthrough in the joint exploitation of the South China
Sea, adding China and the Philippines have deepened cooperation
insecurity by launching the mechanism of defense and security
dialogue.
China will make joint efforts with the Philippines to
continuously promote neighborly cooperation for the benefit of both
peoples, said Wu.
Wu thanked the Philippine side for its adherence to the
one-China policy.
On the relations between the parliaments of the two countries,
Wu said the NPC has had increasingly close friendly exchanges with
the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines.
The two sides have seen strong cooperation in international and
regional parliamentary organizations, Wu said.
Drilon said the Philippines attach great importance to relations
with China. The Philippines will always follow the one-China
policy, he said.
Drilon regarded the current period as the "golden stage" of
relations between China and the Philippines since the two countries
established diplomatic ties more than 30 years ago.
He said he hopes more Chinese enterprises will invest in the
Philippines to expand cooperation in agriculture, energy, tourism
and infrastructure sectors.
At the invitation of Wu, Drilon started a visit to China on
April 15. Besides Beijing, he will also visit Chengdu, capital city
of southwestern Sichuan Province, and Lhasa, capital city of the
Tibet Autonomous Region.
(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2006)
