Chinese Premier to visit the Philippines

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will attend a series of summits in the Philippines and pay an official visit there from Dec. 11 to 14, announced Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu Thursday.

The meetings will include the 10th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) plus Three (China, Japan and the Republic of Korea) summit, the 10th China-ASEAN summit, and an east Asian regional summit, Jiang said at a regular press conference of the Ministry.

Premier Wen will also chair the 7th annual meeting of leaders of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, Jiang added.

She said the 10th China-ASEAN summit will mainly discuss practical cooperation between the two sides.

"China will discuss with ASEAN on the practical cooperation for next year and put forward a series of concrete proposals, to further consolidate and raise the level of bilateral strategic partnership," said Jiang.

She said the relations between China and ASEAN have entered a new historic period, marked by a China-ASEAN joint statement that have strategically planned future cooperation, adopted at the summit commemorating the 15th anniversary of the dialogue partnership between China and the ASEAN held at the end of October in Nanning, capital of China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

On the 7th China, Japan, ROK leaders' meeting, Jiang said the meeting will be held on Dec. 11 in Cebu City, and China at present holds the position of coordinating trilateral cooperation and will also chair the meeting.

"China looks forward to deeply exchanging views with Japan and the ROK on trilateral cooperation and international and regional issues of common concern," said Jiang.

She noted China is ready to consult with the other two sides to consolidate and promote trilateral cooperation, in a bid to "make contributions to regional peace, development and prosperity".

Source: Xinhua