China is ready to enhance friendly exchanges and cooperation with the Philippines, said Vice President Zeng Qinghong on Monday.

 

Zeng made the remarks during the talks with Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines Noli de Castro, who arrived on Sunday morning on a six-day official visit to China.

 

Zeng said China and the Philippines enjoy traditional friendship and have achieved great progress in the development of bilateral relations since forging diplomatic ties 31 years ago, with fruitful cooperation in economy, trade, education and culture.

 

Zeng said China, the Philippines and Vietnam have made progress in the joint exploitation of the South China Sea, making a historical contribution in terms of turning the water area into a field of friendship and cooperation.

 

Zeng hoped that China and the Philippines would maintain high level exchanges, increase friendly exchanges in various fields and deepen the strategic cooperation between the two nations, in an effort to promote the China-ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) relations and the cooperation between East Asian countries.

 

De Castro said the relations between the Philippines and China have entered a golden period of development.

 

The Philippines regards China as an important friend and neighbor, and the two peoples are like relatives, de Castro said, noting that the constantly increasing cooperation in various fields between the two nations not only benefits the two peoples but also promotes prosperity and stability in East Asia.

 

The Philippines will work with China to further expand cooperation in trade, investment, mining industry, culture and tourism, he said.

 

The Philippines will continue sticking to the one-China policy, the vice president noted.

 

Besides Beijing, de Castro will also tour Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province and Shanghai, China's economic hub.

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2006)