Chinese envoy reiterates pledge to PHL on regional peace

Ambassador Liu Jianchiao of the Peoples Republic of China (PROC) reassured the Philippines of his country’s commitment to “create a regional environment of peace and stability" as the embassy marked the 62nd founding anniversary of the PROC Tuesday. Liu also took stock of the outcomes of the visit of President Benigno Aquino III to Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen where Aquino met with political and business leaders of China and witnessed the signing of various agreements. "Let’s hope that all the agreements inked would… materialize soon into tangible benefits for our two peoples," said Liu. The Chinese envoy’s remarks come days after maritime legal experts from member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) concluded their ‘extensive discussion’ of the Philippine proposal. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the experts "affirmed the ASEAN's commitment to the peaceful and rules-based approach to the resolution of disputes in the West Philippine Sea." The DFA said ASEAN Foreign Ministers tasked their senior officials “to seriously study the Philippine proposal on the Zone of Peace, Freedom, Friendship and Cooperation." The DFA also said the outcome of the maritime legal experts’ meeting “will be reported to the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting, which will then make its recommendations to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers prior to the 19th ASEAN Summit in November 2011 in Bali." The joint statement of the Philippines and PROC issued after Aquino met Chinese President Hu Jintao said the two leaders “exchanged views on the maritime disputes and agreed not to let the maritime disputes affect the broader picture of friendship and cooperation between the two countries." “The two leaders reiterated their commitment to addressing the disputes through peaceful dialogue, to maintain continued regional peace, security, stability and an environment conducive to economic progress. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitments to respect and abide by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed by China and the ASEAN member countries in 2002," the joint statement also said. Expanding trade and tourism During Aquino’s China visit, his delegation and Chinese officials “agreed to further expand the volume of bilateral trade and accordingly set a target of $60 billion in total two-way trade by 2016." Ambassador Liu noted that “China-Philippines trade volume reached $ 18 billion in the first seven months [of 2011], with the Philippine side enjoying a surplus of $ 2 billion." This level of bilateral trade happened while trade volume between ASEAN and China grew by 25.5 percent, according to Liu. China and the Philippines have agreed to make 2012-2013 “Years of Friendly Exchanges." Both countries aim to double tourism traffic between them to two million by 2016. — ELR/VS, GMA News