Arroyo's 5-day working visit to China to kick off Thursday

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo will fly to China Thursday morning for a five-day visit to attend the 7th Asia- Europe meeting (ASEM) as well as promote the automotive and electronics industry in the communist nation. Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said that while in Beijing, President Arroyo will also have a bilateral meeting with Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat at the sidelines of the ASEM, scheduled from Oct. 24 to 25. Dureza described ASEM as a gathering aimed at expanding and deepening dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between Asia and Europe. President Arroyo, who will leave at about 7 a.m. from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2, will first fly to Wuhan in Hubei province to meet possible investors in the Philippines' automotive industry before proceeding to Beijing. Dureza said aside from the electronics and automotive industry, the President is expected to promote and possibly entice Chinese businessmen to invest in the tobacco industry and other industries that will probably find a niche in the Chinese market. At the ASEM, Dureza said President Arroyo is expected to participate in the discussions on global issues particularly world economy, the financial situation, sustainable development, international and regional development, as well as deepening dialogues among civilizations. He said the current global financial crunch is expected to be tackled in ASEM's summit, the theme of which is “Vision and Action -- Towards a Win-Win Solution." President Arroyo had earlier proposed the holding of a meeting of the Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (Asean) plus three (China, Japan and Korea) at the sidelines of the ASEM to work out possible interventions including the provision of assistance to countries in the Asean and the putting up of a standby fund. The President is expected to return to Manila on October 27. Founded in 1996, ASEM was formed by the 10 Asean member-states, the Asean Secretariat, the 27 nations of the European Union (EU), the European Commission, and China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Mongolia and Pakistan. - GMANews.TV