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China, Philippines Sign Joint Statement
Jiang and Estrada attend signing ceremony
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Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Domingo L. Siazon, Jr. May 16 signed a joint statement on the framework of cooperation between the governments of China and the Philippines in the 21st century on behalf of their respective governments. Following is the full text of the statement:
Joint Statement Between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines on the Framework of Bilateral Cooperation in the Twenty-First Century
The People's Republic of China and the Republic of the Philippines have made great progress in their cooperation in the political, economic, cultural, educational, scientific and technological and other fields on the basis of equality and mutual benefit since the establishment of diplomatic relations on 9 June 1975, brining concrete benefits to the two peoples.
The Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (hereinafter referred to as "the two sides") believe that it is now opportune to establish a framework for further bilateral cooperation.
This new framework will draw on the strength of their long, historical friendship and geographical proximity in order to advance the fundamental interests of their two peoples and thereby contribute to peace, security, stability, sustained growth, and development in Asia and the rest of the world.
The two sides will establish a long-term and stable relationship on the basis of good neighborliness, cooperation, an mutual trust and benefit.
They will undertake to elevate China-Philippines relations to greater heights in the 21st century and to this end, state the following:
1. The two sides reaffirm that the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, the principles established in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and other universally recognized principles of international law are the basic norms governing the relations between the two countries.
2. The two sides agree to maintain close and frequent high- level contacts and exchange of visits at all levels, including government officials, the private sector, non-government organizations, the academic community, press and media, and their peoples to contribute to a comprehensive, stable and sustained development of bilateral relations.
3. The two sides agree to maintain and strengthen the mechanism of annual meetings between senior officials and their respective foreign ministries for consultations on bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual concern.
4. The two sides agree to make further exchanges and cooperation in the defense and military fields, strengthen consultations between their military and defense personnel and diplomatic officials on security issues, to include exchanges between their military establishments on matters relating to humanitarian rescue and assistance, disaster relief and mitigation, and enhance cooperation between their respective strategic and security research institutes.
5. The two sides acknowledge the similarities in their respective national development goals, and agree to optimize the use of existing frameworks for cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, science and technology, agriculture, education and culture, tourism, civil aviation, and taxation. They will undertake the following:
a) Promote better bilateral trade and investment flows, and improve industrial cooperation by:
i. Exploring all possible measures to effect increases in trade volumes and product choices;
ii. Agreeing to provide a conducive market environment through identification and removal of trade and investment impediments; iii. Improving transparency of trade-related regulations; iv. Undertaking investment promotion, and joint investment in third countries; and v. Encouraging a pro-active role for the business sectors of both sides.
b) Intensify exchanges and cooperation in the financial field on the basis of reciprocity. They will work together for the reform of the international financial system.
c) Expand scientific and technological cooperation in accordance with the Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation signed on 14 March 1978, and enter into new areas of cooperation through joint research, technology transfer and other means.
d) Implement the Agreement on the Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture signed on 13 September 1999, by promoting economic and technological cooperation in the agricultural field, increasing data exchange, conducting joint research, and encouraging their enterprises, scientific research institutes, and business groups concerned to take an active part in agricultural cooperation, so as to bring about common growth of the two economies.
e) Continue to implement the biennial executive programs in accordance with the Cultural Agreement signed on 8 July 1979. They will further enhance their exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture, arts, education, film, sports, health care, religion, social science and book publication through, among others, the exchange of delegations and art troupes, visits by experts, and exhibitions held in each other's country.
f) Further develop bilateral tourism cooperation and expand the tourism market in an effort to achieve common development of their tourism industries.
6. Either side shall accord to the other due facilitation in accordance with international norms so that the nationals of either country who reside, work or travel in the territory of the other country may receive consular protection by the appropriate officials of their own country when they are in distress or involved in legal, labor or other disputes.
7. The two sides will continue to explore new areas for cooperation among their law enforcement, judicial, security, and defense agencies in order to address the serious threats posed by organized transnational crimes.
8. The two sides will continue to provide policy guidance to their respective national agencies in order to strengthen the role of the various joint committees in identified areas of cooperation.
9. The two sides commit themselves to the maintenance of peace and stability in the South China Sea. They agree to promote a peaceful settlement of disputes through bilateral friendly consultations and negotiations in accordance with universally- recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. They reaffirm their adherence to the 1995 joint statement between the two countries on the South China Sea and agree not to take actions that might complicate or escalate the situation. The two sides expressed their determination to follow through the work of the China-Philippines Working Group on Confidence Building Measures to enhance peace and stability in the region. They reiterate that they will contribute positively toward the formulation and adoption of the regional Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
10. The two sides recognize and respect the universality of human rights taking into account their distinct culture, tradition, and practices. They shall encourage exchanges and cooperation on human rights on the basis of equality, mutual respect, with a view to enhancing mutual understanding. They will work together for the progress and protection of the cause of human rights.
11. The two sides affirm their commitment to respect the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of each other. The Philippine Government reaffirms its one China policy and recognizes that Taiwan is an integral part of Chinese territory.
12. The two sides agree to deepen cooperation between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), recognizing that close China-Philippines relations contribute to the promotion of PRC-ASEAN and ASEAN+3 ( PRC, Republic of Korea, and Japan) relations. They will jointly promote dialogue and cooperation in East Asia in accordance with the Joint Statement on East Asia Cooperation issued in Manila on 28 November 1999 to make a significant contribution to the peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world.
13. The two sides agree to continue their coordination and cooperation at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN Regional Forum, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, ASEM, World Trade Organization, United Nations, and other multilateral fora.
They will actively promote and protect the common interests of developing countries in regional and international fora, particularly in the areas of trade and finance, human resources development, and the promotion of the interests of labor, farmers, and women and children, among others.
14. The two sides agree to promote the establishment of an equitable and rational world order.
The above statement will be jointly reviewed by the ministers of foreign affairs of the two sides, if requested by either side. Done in Beijing, China, on this 16th day of May 2000.
For the Government of the For the Government of the People's Republic of China Republic of the Philippines
Tang Jiaxuan Domingo L. Siazon, Jr. (signed)
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