Top Chinese and Philippine legislators have promised to make
joint efforts to push the strategic cooperative relationship
between their two countries to a new height in the new year.
The pledge was made in Manila on Thursday at a meeting between
Jose de Venecia, speaker of the Philippine House of
Representatives, and He Luli, vice chairwoman of the Standing
Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC).
He Luli, who is also chairperson of the Chinese People's
Association for Peace and Disarmament, told de Venecia that China
has been committed to enhancing friendly cooperation of mutual
benefit with the Philippines.
She hoped that the two nations will work together to make
constant progress in their strategic cooperative relations in the
new year.
She said that recent years have seen frequent exchanges of
high-level visits between China and the Philippines, and
significant progress in bilateral cooperation in various fields
such as politics, economy and culture.
She expressed her appreciation of the adherence to the one-China
policy by the Philippine government and parliament.
He Luli reiterated that the Chinese government will continue to
observe its diplomatic policy of building a good-neighborly
relationship and partnership with its neighbors, and follow a road
of peaceful development.
For his part, de Venecia said that with China's status rising
steadily on the international arena, Philippine-China relations are
getting closer continuously, and more Philippine officials turn
their eyes to China and want to know more about the country.
He Luli, who arrived in Manila Wednesday on a four-day visit,
also met with Philippine Senate President Manuel Villar
Thursday.
(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2008)
