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MANILA, Philippines?Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jieche arrived in Manila Wednesday for a two-day visit upon the invitation of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Yang arrived at around 5:20 p.m. in Manila. The itinerary released by the DFA said Romulo would be hosting a dinner for the Chinese official in Malacañang at around 7:30 p.m.
Yang was scheduled to lay a wreath at the Rizal Monument in Manila at around 8 a.m. today and then proceed to Malacañang for the signing of two agreements at 10:30 a.m. The foreign minister was scheduled to tour Intramuros afterward.
The DFA said Romulo and Yang would sign two landmark agreements that aim to further enhance bilateral cooperation between the countries, the ?Philippines-China Joint Action Plan for Strategic Cooperation? (JAP) and the ?Philippines-China Consular Agreement.?
The JAP maps out the general strategic directions in bilateral cooperation in the next five years. Areas of cooperation under the JAP include: political; trade, investment, and finance; agriculture and fisheries; food safety; tourism; defense and security; law enforcement and judicial; consular; cultural, education, and media; science and technology; regional and multilateral cooperation; and sustainable development.
The consular agreement, meanwhile, is the first consular agreement that the Philippines has negotiated with another country. The pact addresses long-standing concerns of the Philippine missions in China with regard to the provision of assistance to nationals (ATN) services, such as notification of arrests and detention of Filipino nationals, repatriation, and settlement of disputes.
The Chinese foreign minister and Romulo are also expected to discuss plans for the celebration of the 35th anniversary of Philippines-China diplomatic relations next year.
Yang will also be calling on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and House of Representatives Speaker Prospero Nograles.
Last October 21, Nograles was in Beijing where he met with Wu Bangguo, who chairs China?s National People?s Congress. The two discussed Chinese-Philippine relations and cooperation.
According to the DFA, Yang?s visit is one of several high-level visits for the year. Recent Chinese visitors included Communist Party of China politburo members Zhang Gaoli, CPC-Tianjin secretary, and Liu Qi, CPC-Beijing secretary, in September and July, respectively.
Jerome Aning
