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)