Noy seeks better ties with China

President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the commemoration of National Heroes Day at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on Monday (August 25). This year’s theme is “Bayaning Pilipino: Lumalaban para sa Makatuwiran at Makabuluhang Pagbabago.” Also in photo are Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang, Jr., Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, National Historical Commission of the Philippines chairperson Dr. Maria Serena Diokno and Taguig City Mayor Ma. Laarni Cayetano. (Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO)

MANILA – President Aquino returned to China yesterday, seeking to improve the country’s relationship with China.

“We seek to have harmonious relationship with everybody so that we can concentrate on solving domestic problems that have to be addressed now. And we actually firmly believe without stability, prosperity is an impossibility,” Aquino told chief executive officers ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

Aquino recalled that he had an agreement with the former Chinese President Hu Jintao that considering other aspects, the “be-all and end-all of our relationships do not have to be with just one particular issue”

The President, however, made no mention of the on-going territorial dispute it has with China.

He emphasized the country’s interest in achieving better relationship with its neighboring countries.

“Anything that fosters greater stability is an objective for us because we do want more prosperity for our people and together with the rest of our brothers and sisters throughout the region and the world,” the President said.

Aquino also mentioned the growth in trade, tourism and other indicators made between China and the Philippines.

“We are happy to note that for instance in trade, there is a very significant growth in trade between our countries. In so many different other aspects, even from food production, there has been a lot of cooperation already. In people-to-people exchanges, provision of numerous teachers of Mandarin for our countrymen has also been coming into the country,” the President said.

“We send something like 800,000 tourists into China’s way and China sent us 200,000 tourists. So all of these numbers, I am told, have continued to grow,” he added.