DFA: PHL economic managers meet with Chinese business sector

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Filipino economic managers are currently in China to meet with Chinese government and business officials on Philippine Private-Public Partnership (PPP) projects. The Philippine economic managers will be in Beijing on April 11-13 and in Shanghai on April 13-14, where they will hold separate country briefings to present investment opportunities in the Philippines, including the PPP program. In the private sector, the team will have meetings with about leaders of about 24 Chinese state-owned enterprises and private companies. The visit, led by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, marks the first formal encounter of the Philippine and Chinese economic officials since President Benigno Simeon Aquino III assumed office on June 30 last year. The visit will be highlighted by the meeting between the Philippine economic managers with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan in Beijing on Tuesday. The Philippine economic managers will also meet with Chinese Finance Minister Xie Xuren, Chinese Transport Minister Li Shenglin, Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming and People’s Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan. Aside from Purisima, the others who joined the visit to China were Secretary of Trade and Industry Gregory Domingo, Secretary of Public Works and Highways Rogelio Singson, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco, Jr., Undersecretary of Transportation and Communications Ruben Reinoso Jr. and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center Assistant Secretary Philamer Torio. Representative Hermilando Mandanas, Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, is also part of the delegation. On Monday, Mandanas met with Mou Xinsheng, Vice Chairman of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, in Beijing. – VVP, GMA News