Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo returned home shortly before midnight Friday from her three-day state visit to China, with an estimated one-billion-US-dollar worth of investments and soft loans secured from the Chinese government.

The plane carrying Arroyo, her family members and some cabinet officials, arrived at the Manila International Airport, from where the beaming Arroyo proceeded directly to her waiting presidential car with First Gentleman Jose Arroyo, without giving a statement.

Philippine Energy Secretary Vicent Perez said Arroyo's "extremely successful" trip has also brought about a "diplomatic breakthrough" between the two countries in defense and security cooperation, and in the South China Sea issue.

The two countries signed a joint marine undertaking in the South China Sea, a Memorandum of Understanding on the North Railway project, a tourism agreement, an accord granting visa exemptions for officials and diplomatic passport holders, and an agreement on defense cooperation.

China also committed a 400-million-dollar credit facility to decongest Metro Manila and to help make the Subic-Clark area a leading logistics and service hub in the region, and a 312-million-dollar commitment to invest in the Philippines' integrated glass manufacturing facility.

Other important agreements signed included a 30-million-dollar joint venture in an iron processing facility in the northern Philippine province of Camarines Norte, a 100- million-dollar investment and equipment supply contract on wireless hi-speed data services, an 8-million-dollar investment to supply 160 buses run by compressed natural gas, on top of a donation of 30 metric tons of hybrid rice.

Perez said bilateral ties will be further strengthened with the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to the Philippines in June 2005, upon the invitation of Arroyo, for the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Along with other Asian leaders, Arroyo attended and addressed the Third International Conference of Asian Political Parties which opened Friday in Beijing, lauding Asian political leaders for their efforts in helping deepen cooperation and enhancing the economic welfare of their peoples.
 
(Xinhua News Agency September 4, 2004)