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NPC Chairman Meets Philippine President
Li Peng, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC), met with Philippine President Joseph Ejercito Estrada in Beijng on May 17.
Li said both China and the Philippines are Asian countries, and both have enjoyed a long standing friendship. During the 25 years since diplomatic relations were established, bilateral ties have witnessed rapid growth with cooperation continuously increasing in all fields, he noted.
He also pointed out that close contacts have been maintained between parliaments of the two countries, which constitutes an important part of overall relations and helps promote and develop friendship and understanding between the two peoples.
With the growth of contacts in all fields, the two parliaments should also strengthen their links, he said, adding contacts can be made through the Sino-Philippine Friendship Group of the NPC, and that more Philippine parliament members are welcome to visit China.
Li stressed that although China has registered considerable economic development in recent years, it is still a developing country that is earnestly in need of a long-term peaceful and stable international environment.
China will not pose any threat to any other country. On the contrary, it is willing to strengthen friendly and cooperative relations with its neighbors, he said, expressing the conviction that China's development will bring about broad prospects for economic and trade cooperation between China and all world countries.
Estrada spoke highly of the rapid growth of bilateral ties during the past 25 years, as well as the role played by the NPC and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in China's political life.
He congratulated China's achievements in its national construction and wished China's strategy to develop the western regions a success. He also stressed that the Philippines attaches great importance to parliament relations between the two countries, and is willing to promote friendly contacts between parliamentary members of the two countries.
The president reaffirmed that the Philippine government supports China's reunification cause and will steadfastly pursue the one China policy.
Estrada, who was on his first state visit to China since he assumed the presidency, arrived in Beijing Tuesday at the invitation of Chinese President Jiang Zemin.
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