| PGMA to hold bilateral meeting with China's President Hu Jintao |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese
President Hu Jintao when she goes on a three-day visit to China this week
for the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympiad. “Upon the request of the Chinese side, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with President Hu Jintao to discuss (RP-PROC) bilateral relations,” Press Secretary Jesus G. Dureza said at a press briefing this afternoon in Malacanang. The President will leave at dawn on Aug. 7 (Thursday) for China, with Chengdu in Sichuan province in western China as her first stop, to commiserate with the earthquake victims in the upland city which she first visited in June last year. She will have lunch with Sichuan provincial officials, and later receive business calls in her hotel at Chengdu before motoring to Dujiangyan, one of the most devastated areas during the recent earthquake that hit China. The President will then visit the shrine built in memory of the earthquake victims, before visiting the resettlement site for the victims and presenting Philippine-made goodies to the children-survivors. In the afternoon, the President will fly to Beijing where she will fete Filipino athletes participating in the 29th Olympics in a dinner at the Asia Hotel Beijing. Day Two, Friday (Aug. 8), will see the President busy with courtesy calls and bilateral meetings with some of the 80 world leaders who, like her, are attending the Beijing Olympiad’s opening ceremonies at 08:08:08 p.m. On Day Three, (Aug. 9; Saturday) the President will tour the Olympic Village and have lunch with the Filipino community in China before flying back to the Philippines in the evening. |
| FFCCCII backs PGMA's trip to China |
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The Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII)
today expressed elation over President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s upcoming
visit to China, saying it will pave the way for more Chinese investments in
the Philippines. “We express our full support to Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s visit to China to further strengthen the diplomatic and economic ties between the Philippines and China,” said the FFCCCII in a statement. The statement was signed by FFCCCII president John H. Tan. “President Arroyo’s attendance at the Beijing Olympics’ opening ceremony upon the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao manifests the importance we give to foster our friendship with China. “Moreover, this is a good opportunity for President Arroyo to give encouragement to our Filipino athletes who will participate in the Olympic Games,” Tan said. The Chinese business group stressed that the President’s Aug. 7-10 China visit “will also pave the way for more investments in the Philippines with the scheduled business meetings between the Philippine delegation and Chinese businessmen. “We believe these will greatly promote economic cooperation and exchanges between our two countries,” the FFCCCII said. Last Friday (Aug. 1), the President wished the Filipino athletes good luck when they paid a courtesy call on her in Malacanang. During the athletes’ Malacanang visit, the President announced that she was raising P15 million the cash pot for any Filipino Olympian who will bring home a gold medal from the Beijing Olympics. |
| Trade, investments up in PGMA's four-day visit to China - Dureza |
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There is more to gracing the grand opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing. Aside from providing the biggest moral booster to Filipino athletes, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will also hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao during her Aug. 7-10 trip to China. At a press briefing in Malacanang this afternoon, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said the bilateral meeting would be a big opportunity to further strengthen trade and economic cooperation between the Philippines and China and expand the two countries’ two-way investment. With Dureza during the media briefing were Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief Secretary Cerge Remonde and Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III. Dureza said the Chinese side had requested for the meeting with the President. The Filipino athletes participating in the Beijing Olympiad are all excited over the participation of people’s boxing champion Manny Pacquiao as the country’s official flag-bearer, and the President attendance and support for them. The President has added P4.5 million to the cash pot for the Filipino gold medal winner in the Beijing Olympics, raising the total prize to P15 million. Remonde added that the President’s attendance in the World Games is part of her official obligation as one of the 80 heads of state invited to the event. China is also one of the Philippines biggest trading partners, Remonde added. This will be only the second time that the Olympic Games is held in Asia. The first was in 1964 during the Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan. Before gracing the opening of the Beijing Olympics, the President will visit Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. One of the largest economies in inland China, Chengdu, with its rapid economic growth, has emerged as one of the most popular foreign investment destinations in China. |
| PGMA leaves for China tomorrow morning for a 3-day visit with 11-man official party |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo leaves for a three-day working visit to
China at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow with an 11-man official delegation, said to be
the “leanest” in all her foreign trips, according to Press Secretary Jesus
G. Dureza. “It’s a very short trip,” Dureza said. “Almost balikan lamang. “Pero ang napakahalaga, aside from the fact that we will show iyong world-class excellence of our Filipino athletes. And this is embodied by Manny Pacquaio, world champion ay nandoon.” He said the trip will be an opportunity for the President to hold a bilateral meeting with President Hu Jin Tao to further strengthen trade and economic cooperation between the Philippines and China and expand the two-countries‘ two-way investment. Dureza said the President will also have a bilateral meeting on the sidelines with Prime Minister Rad of Australia. President Arroyo will be joining about 80 heads of state including Prime Minister Putin of Russia and US President Bush. “So, maganda itong opportunity to move for the bigger market of China which has a population of more than one billion,” he said. Dureza said the Chinese side had requested for the meeting with the President. The Filipino athletes participating in the Beijing Olympiad are all excited over the participation of people’s boxing champion Manny Pacquiao as the country’s official flag-bearer, and the President’s attendance and support for them. The President has added P4.5 million to the cash pot for the Filipino gold medal winner in the Beijing Olympics, raising the total prize to P15 million. This will be only the second time that the Olympic Games is held in Asia. The first was in 1964 during the Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan. Before gracing the opening of the Beijing Olympics, the President will visit Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. One of the largest economies in inland China, Chengdu, with its rapid economic growth, has emerged as one of the most popular foreign investment destinations in China. |
| Meetings with fellow heads of state, business leaders await PGMA in Beijing |
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BEIJING, China (via PLDT) – A series of meetings with fellow
heads of state and top business leaders await President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
who’s due to arrive here late afternoon today (Thursday) from Chengdu, the
capital of Sichuan province and the first stop of her four-day working visit
to China. Shortly upon her arrival in the Chinese capital, the President will have a working dinner with her delegation at the Asia Hotel, the official residence of the President during her stay in Beijing. On Friday morning (Aug. 8), the President will receive Yujian Xu, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Fujian Longlin Group Co. Ltd. at the Jinshou Room of Asia Hotel. This will be followed by a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister H.E. Kevin Rudd at the Jinshou function room of the hotel. After the two meetings, the President, together with First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, will proceed to the Great Hall of the People for the luncheon/reception to be hosted by Chinese President Hu Jintao for visiting heads of state/governments. President Jintao is expected to deliver a message to welcome the elite group of visitors to China. A cultural presentation will follow to signal the start of the luncheon. After the Great Hall of the People reception, the President will motor back to Asia Hotel for a meeting with Chinese businessman Lucio Tai Yen, chairman of Sunshine 100. At around 7 p.m. also on Friday, the President, together with US President George W. Bush, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and other heads of states and sports ministers will proceed to the National Stadium “The Bird’s Nest” to attend the grand opening rites of the XXIX Olympiad (2008 Beijing Olympics). The $423-million complex, with a seating capacity of 91,000, is The Bird’s Nest which is the epicenter of the Beijing Olympics not only for the opening and closing ceremonies but also the venue for the track and field events of the World Games. On Saturday (Aug. 9), the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao at the Fujian Room of the Great Hall of the People. The two leaders are expected to discuss possible business exchanges and economic cooperation between the Philippines and China. After her meeting with the Chinese leader, President Arroyo will motor back to Asia Hotel for a meeting with the top executive of the Chinese Commercial Television (CCTV), the largest television network in Beijing. A luncheon with the Filipino community will follow at the Grand Ballroom (Asian Conference Hall). She will also accept calls by prospective Chinese investors Jiangxi East Asia Palm-Fiber Stock Co., Ltd., and the Wei Wei Group. Late in the afternoon, the President, together with the First Gentleman, House Speaker Prospero Nograles, Ambassador Marciano Paynor and Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Cataumber Brady will watch the RP athletes compete at the Beijing Olympic Green Archery Field in Chaoyang District. On Sunday the last day of her visit here, the President will attend a private Mass and watch Filipino athletes compete in the three-hour Men’s Trap Shooting Qualifying Round at the Beijing Shooting Range in Fuquiansi, Shijingshan District. Before flying back to Manila Sunday evening, the President will also watch the RP Men’s Basketball event at the Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium at the Wukesong Culture and Sports Center, also in Fuquiansi, Shijingshan District. |
| PGMA visits Chengdu in Sichuan, receives Chinese business leaders |
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CHENGDU, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China (PRC) –
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrived here today en route to Beijing to
witness the opening tomorrow of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Accompanied by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, the President and a small party of government officials and Filipino businessmen, arrived at the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport shortly before noon onboard a special flight of the Philippine Air Lines (PAL). On her second visit to this city in two years, the President held discussions with several business leaders who have expressed interest in investing in the Philippines. The President and her party – which also included some Cabinet members -- was welcomed by Sichuan Province Protocol Director Ms. Zhang Tao and Philippine Ambassador to the China Sonia Brady. Also on hand to welcome the First Couple at the international airport here were Sichuan Executive Vice Governor Wei Hong and Philippines Special Envoy Carlos Chan. President Arroyo – who had committed last year to put up a Philippine consulate in this key city of western China – motored to the Jinjiang Hotel here where several business leaders awaited her arrival. Among those who paid a courtesy call on her were officials of the Huaquiao Fenghuang Group headed by Board Chairman and CEO Cheng Su, who is also the vice chairman of the Sichuan Provincial Federation of Industry and Commerce. The Sichuan-based Huaquiao Fenghuang Group is a leading shareholding company engaged in hi-tech agriculture, traditional industries and real estate, aside from being a main shareholder of two “AAA” commercial banks. In 2000, it received an award from China’s Agriculture Ministry in National Aquatic Products Demonstration Base for Technology Popularization. In 2001, the company was cited for Industrialization Managing and Advanced Agricultural Enterprises. In the same meeting with the President were Anthony Puttergill, chief executive officer (CEO) of Peermont Global Ltd.; Robert Yearham, chief operating officer (COO) of Peermont Global; and Tian Ning, Peermont market development manager. With Trade Secretary Peter Favila, and Ambassadors Sonia Brady and Carlos Chan, President Arroyo also met with the following Chinese investors: Mr. Zhou Minqian, chief of the Overseas Chinese Affairs of the Sichuan Provincial Government; Ms. Cao Hui, vice division chief of the Sichuan Provincial Overseas Chinese Affairs Office; Mr. Yeng Shangyan, GM and vice chairman of the Sichuan Jinfeng Paper Co. Ltd.; Mr. Chen Luweh, chairman of the board of the Sichuan Jinguang Industrial Group Co. Ltd.; Mr. Gong Ji Hua, secretary and GM of the Sichuan Tobacco Monopoly Co; Mr. Hao ShiQuan, chairman and GM of the Sichuan San You Group Co.; Mr. Tang Rixin, chairman and director of the Chengdu Qiaoxing Industry Co. Ltd.; and Mr. Wan Ji, Party Secretary of China Eastern Electric Corp and chairman of the Dongfang Electric Corporation. The President also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that allows two Chinese mining investors -- Ni Hao and Jiangxi Rare Earth – to explore for nickel in Zambales. |
| RP-China two-way trade volume hits $30 billion 2 years ahead of 2010 target |
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BEIJING, People’s Republic of China (PRC) – The two-way trade
between the Philippines and China breached the $30-billion mark last year, a
full two years ahead of the two countries’ 2010 projected trade target. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that based on figures provided by the General Administration of Customs China Philippine-China trade in 2007 amounted to $30.62 billion. This represents a 30.8 percent increase over the 2006 figure of $23.4 billion, with the Philippines enjoying a trade surplus since 2001. Philippine-China trade has been growing at an average rate of 41.39 percent since 2001, based on figures released by the Philippine National Statistics Office (NSO). “In 2006, bilateral trade with China amounted to $8.2 billion, with RP exports amounting to $4.6 billion and imports amounting to $3.7 billion, giving RP a surplus of $945 million,” the NSO said. Based on these figures, the NSO said that China is now the Philippines’ third largest trading partner, after the US and Japan.” China’s General Administration of Customs, however, has come up with an even more impressive assessment of Philippine-China trade, saying that “China is already supposed to be the Philippines’ No. 1 trading partner.” China’s customs office also reported that “trade imbalance in favor of RP is growing – RP exports to China amounted to S17.67 billion, while imports from China reached only $5.74 billion.” The trade figures were provided by China customs service as backgrounder to the four-day visit of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s four-day working visit to China to attend the opening of the Beijing Olympics, and the series of meetings she is holding with prospective Chinese investors in the Philippines. |
| PGMA invites Chinese electric firm to explore investment possibilities in RP power sector |
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BEIJING, People’s Republic of China --
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has invited a leading Chinese electric
company to visit the Philippines and propose ways to harness the country’s
natural power resources. The President made the invitation to officials of Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC) who called on her Thursday in Chengdu City in Sichuan province, her first stop in her current trip to China. Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila said the DEC officials who met with the President were led by Wang Ji, chairman of the power firm. Favila said several other Chinese business leaders called on the President to discuss investment possibilities in the Philippines. After the meetings with the Chinese businessmen, the President motored to the Sichuan town of Dujiangyan to distribute four truckloads of Oishi noodles donated by Philippine Special Envoy Carlos Chan to the May 12 earthquake victims. Dujiangyan was among the areas hardest hit by the May 12 disaster. The quake victims have been resettled by the Sichuan in relocation sites. The President and her 11-member delegation arrived in Beijing from Chengdu City last night. DEC is a state-owned company specializing in “power equipment manufacturing and worldwide power projects contracting for thermal, hydro, nuclear, wind, gas turbine, combined-cycle power plant, and power distribution systems.” President Arroyo noted that DEC’s electric power-sourcing expertise is “something we would like to see” and so she “invited them to come over (to the Philippines),” Favila said. The DEC officials briefed the President on their projects, offering to build some for the Philippines, and so she said, “Come visit us in the Philippines, have a look,” Favila said. The DEC has an annual power production capacity of more than 23,000 megawatts (mw). Its products range from 0.75 mw to 300 mw; 600 mw, and 1,000 unit capacity for thermal energy; plus up to 700 mw unit capacity in hydro; 1,000 mw for nuclear power; 2670 mw gas turbine; and 1.5 mw wind turbine. Hundreds of DEC “products” are now being operated both domestically and overseas such as the United States, Canada, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, Albania, the former Yugoslavia, the Philippines and Peru. The Philippine government has been looking for ways to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel oil by investing heavily on non-oil programs, including the largescale cultivation of jatropha. The Arroyo administration has also stepped up efforts to harness hydro, wind, steam and solar power as sources of energy. |
| RP and China remain friends despite PGMA’s cancellation of NBN deal |
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BEIJING, China – The invitation of Chinese President Hu
Jintao for a bilateral meeting with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
tomorrow (Saturday) is a very clear indication that China wants to continue
and maintain its strong ties with the Philippines. This was the assessment of Trade Secretary Peter Favila on the scheduled meeting between the two leaders despite the cancellation by President Arroyo of the controversial National Broadband Network (NBN) deal with China. “The fact that the Chinese leader had invited us for a bilateral meeting is a very clear indication that China wants us to continue to work for strong bilateral ties with them,” Favila said in an ambush interview last night at the main lobby of Asia Hotel, the official residence of the President while on a four-day working visit here. Favila made the remarks in response to a question by a reporter on why President Hu Jintao would still like to meet President Macapagal-Arroyo even after the cancellation of the multi-billion NBN deal. “I’ve always been saying that the Chinese are very polite people,” Favila said, adding that the Chinese government had also been saying that “they respect events back home” and that they understand the reason why President Arroyo stopped the NBN contract. “They know how to put things behind them and look at where we are today so we can move forward,” he said. “That’s why both countries are looking forward now to a very interesting bilateral talks between the two presidents on Saturday.” Favila, however, said he was not at liberty to divulge the talking points of the meeting between the two leaders. “I’m sorry, I’m not in a position to disclose the talking points between the two leaders but generally it’s on our bilateral ties with China,” he said. On the issue of the Northrail Project, Favila expressed optimism that Subic Clark Alliance Development head and Luzon Urban Beltway Super Region Secretary Edgardo Pamintuan will thresh out things with its Chinese counterpart relative to the project. Favila said Secretary Pamintuan is tasked by the President to settle the issue at his level as the ministerial level doesn’t get involved itself in the ongoing negotiations. “The ministerial level only gets involved when there is a need for intervention at the higher level, which is the ministerial. But I don’t think about that, I’m confident that Secretary Pamintuan will be able to thresh out things at his level,” Favila said. It may be recalled that the Northrail project has been stalled after Joey de Venecia, son of former House Speaker Jose De Venecia, and former Philippine Forest Corporation chairman, Jun Lozada, accused the government of alleged anomaly in awarding the project to the Chinese contractors. |
| Two large Chinese groups putting up multi-billion peso nickel processing plants in RP |
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BEIJING, China (via PLDT) – A group of Chinese businessmen here who are
engaged in mineral mining has informed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of
their plan to put up a raw nickel processing plant in the Philippines. Trade Secretary Peter Favila said the US$100 million fresh investment was announced right after the top executives of the Wei Wei Group of companies met with the President at the Jinshou Room of Asia Hotel, this morning. The top honcho of Wei Wei Group was accompanied by officials of their local partner, the Golden Harvest Global Corp. headed by general manager Cheng Zhen Ghong when they paid a courtesy call on the President. Favila said the raw nickel processing plant of the Wei Wei Group is separate from the Chengdu provinces’ group of Chinese investors who also announced of their plan to put up a mineral processing plant in Zambales yesterday. “Separate yon, so the President was pleased to learn about this na lumalakas na iyong (kuwan natin ng) minerals because this is what we have been saying that we have all these minerals na puwede nating i-export,” Favila told reporters adding that the if the project would push through the country will have its first nickel processing plant,” Favila said. To date, the Philippines is exporting more or less five hundred metric tons of raw nickel in China and once the investment of Wei Wei Group starts to bear fruit then the country would start exporting processed nickel through their nickel processing plant in the country,” Favila added. Just like Chengdu Group of Company, Wei Wei will also establish its raw nickel processing plant in Zambales province where they would need more or less 1,100 workers. |
| Chinese businessmen to invest $6 billion in Philippine ventures |
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BEIJING, China (via PLDT) – Chinese businessmen informed President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo today that they’re investing up to $6 billion in cement
production, real estate, call centers and other ventures in Philippines. The President received the investment commitments from the Chinese business leaders who called on her separately this morning at the Asia Hotel, her official residence while on a three-day working visit in the Chinese capital. Wearing a smart light blue dresscoat on this Olympics-opening day, the President held separate meetings with the Chinese businessmen at a conference room of the Asia Hotel here. Three of the investors alone are to invest a total of $5.375 billion in the Philippines. The President’s first callers were the officials of the cement manufacturing giant Fujian Longlin Group Co. Ltd., which operates 100 cement plants all over China. The Fujian group, which will be investing $275 million in a cement plant in the Philippines, was led by Mr. Yujian Xu, chief executive officer (CEO). Later, the President received officials of the real estate company Sunshine 100 International, who informed her that they planned to invest in low-cost housing projects, as well as condominium units. Led by Mr. Lucio Tai Yen, the group was accompanied by Sunshine’s Philippine partner, Alfonso Sy of Sunshine 100 Pioneer. Philippine Sunshine has already started the construction of eight condominium towers in a 1.25-hectare area at the Mall of Asia area in Manila. Sy said the group is also putting up a small mall and three towers for call centers along Pioneer St. in Mandaluyong. Also in the pipeline are a low-cost housing project in Valenzuela and one in Montalban. Sunshine’s China-based partner, one of the biggest housing developers in the mainland, will infuse an additional $5 billion to its Philippine investments. Officials of the Wei-Wei Group, who also called on the President, said they plan to put up a $100-million nickel processing plant in Zambales. After attending the luncheon reception hosted by Chinese President Hu Jintao for world leaders attending the Olympics Opening Ceremonies at the Great Hall of the People, President Arroyo received Hong Kong’s Shimao Group which reiterated its plan to set up a hotel complex at The Fort. Led by its chairman, Shimao Hui Wing Mao, the Shimao Group told the President they are investing $700 million in the hotel project in cooperation with Andrew Tan of Megaworld. |
| Chinese group putting up $275 M cement plant in Antipolo City |
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BEIJING, China (via PLDT)—A Chinese business conglomerate which has a good
track record for environmental compliance here in China has committed itself
to put up a US$ 275 million cement plant in the Philippines, Trade Secretary
Peter Favila said today. Favila said the desire of the Fujian Longlin Group, Ltd. to invest in the Philippines was relayed by its chairman, Yujian Xu, to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when he called on the President this morning at the Jinshou Room of Asia Hotel here. Favila said once the proposal of Fujian pushes through, the US$100 million cement manufacturing project is expected to bring down the price of cement in the Philippines. Favila said he learned from Yujian Xu, chairman of the Fujian that the price of a bag of cement (in China) “is about a little over a hundred pesos which certainly a lot cheaper than what being produced in the Philippines today.” He said the President instructed him to study the environmental compliance record of the Fujian to make sure that the environment would be protected when they start their cement production here. Favila noted that based on their extensive research they found that Fujian has a good track record for environmental compliance. Aside from the cement plant, the group also expressed its desire to put up a coal plant in the country. “A cement plant, iyon ang kanilang pino-propose and we said we would have to have another immediate player in the Philippines. This would bring about a healthier competition,” he added. He said that during the meeting, Xu informed the President that they would send a team to look for a possible site for their cement plant in Antipolo City in Rizal province, as soon as possible. Favila said the investment of the Fujian has three stages: US$100 for their seed capital, followed by another tranche of US$75 million and a third tranche will be close to another US$100. |
| PGMA, FG share center stage with Jintao, Bush and other world leaders at Beijing luncheon |
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BEIJING, China (via PLDT) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today shared
center stage with US President George W. Bush and Chinese President Hu
Jintao in a lavish luncheon tendered by the latter in honor of world leaders
who flew into this capital city to grace the opening of the Beijing
Olympiad. President Arroyo and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo shared the “peony table” with the luncheon host himself and Madam Liu Xonqing. Also in the same table for 26 world leaders were President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy, Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo, and Malaysian King Tuanku Mizai Zainal Abidin. The others in the elite group were Count Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and Marques Juan Antonio de Samaranch, IOC honorary president. The worldwide webs describes the “presidential table” of peonies as “having compound, deeply lobed leaves, and large and often fragrant flowers ranging from white to red to yellow, in late spring and early summer.” The luncheon arrangement at the ground floor of the Great Hall of the People here featured nine gigantic tables named after China’s flowers – with the peony table positioned directly in front of the stage. In the same row with the peony table below the stage were the Jasmine and Orchid tables; followed by the Azalea, Chinese Rose and Lotus tables on the second row; and the Sweet Osmanthus, Camellia and Hibiscus tables on the third row. Brunei’s King Bolkiah occupied the Jasmine table together with Israel Prime Minister Shimon Peres, and Timor Leste President Jose Ramos Horta, among others. The sumptuous luncheon was preceded by the ceremonial hand-shake by President Hu Jintao with every visitor as the latter entered the banquet hall to the accompaniment of chamber music played by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Orchestra. Hu Jintao later offer a toast to the luncheon guests, numbering some 230 “to the strong growth of the Olympic Movement, to the greater solidarity and friendship among people from all over the world, and to the health of all the distinguished guests and your families.” The brightly-lit banquet hall featured a stage whose backdrop had the Beijing Olympic logo emblazoned amidst a huge Chinese floral pattern in red and gold. The huge tables each had a floral centerpiece, with flowers arranged to look like two peacocks – one in white and the other in blue. The banquet, which started at 12:46 p.m., ended minutes before 2 p.m. |
| PGMA to hold talks with Chinese President, Aussie Prime Minister |
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BEIJING, China (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
will hold bilateral talks tomorrow (Aug. 9) with Chinese President Hu Jintao
and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. The President’s meeting with the Chinese leader is set for 9:30 a.m. at the Fujian Room of the Great Hall of the People. It was learned that the Chinese President has scheduled only two bilateral talks -- one with President Arroyo and, the other with Timor Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta. About 90 world leaders are in Beijing for the opening of the 29th Olympic Games. The bilateral talks between President Arroyo and the Australian prime minister will be held 2:20 p.m. at the Jinshou function room of Asia Hotel. In-between her bilateral talks with the two leaders, President Arroyo have two other engagements -- one, a meeting with officials of the Jiangxi East Asia Palm-Fiber Stock Co., Ltd.; and lunch with the Filipino community (FilCom) in Beijing at the ballroom of Asian Hotel. Attending the Filcom meeting are leaders of the Filipino community in Beijing, Filipino athletes participating in the Beijing Olympiads, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and visiting Philippine government officials. |
| PGMA‘s inspiring presence at the opening of Beijing Olympics bolsters RP athletes’ morale |
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BEIJING, China (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
and the First Gentleman, Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo, joined last night around
80 world leaders in the three-and-a-half hour lavish opening ceremony of the
XXIX Olympiad or 2008 Beijing Olympics. Aside from President Macapagal-Arroyo, other international leaders who watched the stunning display of pageantry and pyrotechnics included President George W. Bush of the United States, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The games run until Aug. 24, with 10,000 athletes from a record of 204 nations chasing 302 gold medals in 24 sports. Due to the tight security no members of the 11-man President Arroyo’s official party that included local and Cabinet officials, were allowed to enter the “Bird’s Nest” stadium in the shape of the blossoming redflower. Only three Philippine Presidential Security Group (PSG) men, the President’s private secretary, the First Gentleman and her Chinese liason officer accompanied the President to the majestic national stadium. The President’s presence at the Olympics opening rites is expected to boost the morale of the 15 Filipino athletes who would fight to win the elusive first Philippine gold medal. This year's Olympics, has for its slogan “One World, One Dream” which consists of "Green Olympics, High-Tech Olympics, and People´s Olympics" to focus not only on environment-friendly technologies and infrastructures, but also on people. The Pilipino Team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics were Tshomlee Go (taekwondo), Toni Rivero (taekwondo), Mark Javier (archery), Harry Tañamor (boxing), Miguel Molina (swimming-200 meter individual medley), Daniel Coakley (swimming-50 meter freestyle), James Walsh (swimming-200 meter butterfly), Ryan Arabejo (swimming-1500 meter freestyle), Shiela Mae Perez (diving-womens 3 meter springboard), Rexel Ryan Fabriga (diving-men’s 10 meter platform), Christel Simms (swimming), Eric Ang (shooting), Henry Dagmil (athletics-men’s long jump), Maristella Torres (athletics-women’s long jump). WBC lightweight champion and Pinoy Ring Idol Manny Pacquioa stood as the flag bearer of the Filipino athletes during the parade. The huge Bird's Nest National Stadium was built at a cost of $423 million. It's the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies as well as for the track and field events. Designed by award-winning Swiss architectural firm Herzog & De Meuron, the stadium looks like a nest with its externally interwoven steel straps and bars twigs with a bowl-shaped shape. |
| RP-China bilateral talks: Chinese President thanks PGMA for concern for earthquake victims |
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BEIJING, People’s Republic of China (PRC) – Chinese President
Hu Jintao today thanked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her concern
for the victims of the May 12 earthquake in western China that killed at
least 69,197 people in the province of Sichuan alone. In their bilateral talks this morning at the Fujian Room of the Great Hall of the People just across the Tiananmen Square here, the Chinese President related about his receiving a telegram from President Arroyo immediately after the killer temblor where she not only expressed her condolences but also committed relief assistance for the victims. “In the wake of the Sichuan earthquake, Madame President immediately sent a telegram expressing… her condolence and that the Philippine government has also offered to (air)lift assistance.” “In behalf of the Chinese people, I would like to convey my heartfelt thanks to the Philippine government and people,” said President Hu Jintao in his opening statement. In reply, President Arroyo – who came in a knee-length gray dress and red-violet coat – thanked the Chinese president and congratulated China for its glitzy opening program for the 29th Olympic games. “Thank you, thank you, Mr. President. First of all, let me thank you and congratulate you for bringing the world such a memorable Olympics. “The goals and objectives that were set seven years ago when China was chosen to host the 2008 Olympics are being realized -- it is an honor to be able to witness first hand the memorable and wonderful preparations that China has made and the spectacular facilities and the exciting games that are connected with Olympic events. President Arroyo continued, thus: “We thank you and the Chinese people and we applaud you for the hard work that has gone into making these preparations as last night’s program, and for the passion that the Chinese people have shown.” “On a personal note, thank you for attaching importance to the relations between our two countries,” President Arroyo told President Hu Jintao just before they started their closed-door meeting in the spacious and high-ceiling conference room that featured elaborate flower-shaped chandeliers. With the President in the bilateral meeting with the Chinese leadership were House Speaker Prospero Nograles, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Trade Secretary Peter Favila, Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Brady, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, and Dangerous Drugs Board head Tito Sotto. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s first stop during this four-day China visit was in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province west of Beijing, where she visited the earthquake victims in the town of Dujiangyan and later distributed four truckloads of Philippine-made noodles to them. Trade Secretary Favila, who went with the President to the town hardest hit by the earthquake, said President Arroyo “really took her time” to touch base with the earthquake victims there, spending close to two hours distributing the noodles and Philippine-baked pastries at the Qin Jian Ren Jia Resettlement Center. The May 12 earthquake that rocked western China also injured 374,176 people, and some 18,222 residents are still considered missing. A total of 1.48 million people were affected by the said killer quake. They have since been relocated to 541,600 temporary houses. Built by relief workers, some 14,400 houses are presently being built, with 32,900 more units in the pipeline. Meanwhile, Ambassador Brady said the Filipino community of 1,500 registered Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) here have passed the hat for the earthquake victims and have so far collected 75,000 yuan for the victims. |
| Talks explore new fronts, new dimension, higher level of cooperation between RP and China |
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BEIJING, People’s Republic of China (PRC)—New fronts to
explore, a new dimension to their relationship, and a higher level of
cooperation. These were the results of the bilateral talks between Chinese President Hu Jintao and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who had met at the Great Hall of the People this morning. Thus revealed Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila who was with the President’s delegation to the closed-door bilateral talks at the Fujian Hall of PRC’s Malacanang. Favila told the media delegation accompanying the President to her four-day PRC visit that the two leaders had agreed to “work together on new fronts.” The meeting, which lasted for almost an hour, has brought a “new dimension” to the relationship between the two countries, and has “brought a higher level of cooperation,” added Favila who was also in almost all of the courtesy calls of Chinese business leaders to the President. In her opening statement at the bilateral meeting, President Arroyo thanked President Hu Jintao, thus: “On a personal note, I would like to thank you for attaching importance to the relationship of our two countries.” Later at lunch with the Filipino community at the Grand Ballroom of the Asia Hotel, the President said RP-China relations are “at an all-time high.” President Arroyo also cited the “warm reception” accorded her and her delegation by the Chinese leadership. She recalled to the Filipino community that in the state luncheon given the day before by the Chinese president, she and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo were seated right in the table occupied by Hu Jintao. The President also told the FilCom that President Hu Jintao had chosen to hold bilateral meetings with just a few of the 80 world leaders who attended the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympiad, and that the Philippines had held such a bilateral meeting before she proceeded to her luncheon treat for the Filipino community here. President Arroyo further revealed that President Hu Jintao himself had noted during their bilateral meeting that RP-China trade had already breached the US$30-billion mark. The Philippine media delegation had covered the start of the bilateral talks up to the two leaders’ opening statements. |
| PGMA cites members of Filipino community in Beijing |
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BEIJING, China – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo told the
Filipino community here this morning that the relations between the
Philippines and China have continued to grow with a new dimension and a
higher level of cooperation. In her speech during a luncheon that she hosted for members of Filipino community (Filcom) in Beijing at the Grand Ballroom of the Asian Hotel, the President said: “Kahapon sa state luncheon ni President Hu Jintao, alam nyo 80 ang kanyang bisita na nagpunta rito (Beijing) to attend the grand opening of the 29th Beijing Olympiad,12 lamang ang maiuupo niya sa kanyang head table kasama doon ang Pangulo ng Pilipinas,” she told the Filipino community. She said that China’s initiatives to build strong relations with the Philippines are not mere verbal accommodations but positive actions to attain lasting relations between the two countries. The President recalled that the good relations between the Philippines and China started some years back when former Chinese president Jiang Xemin called her as an “old friend.” According to the President, addressing her as an old friend was an “expression of deep respect and openness” toward the other by President Xemin. She said that her good friendship with President Hu Jintao started during the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference held in Shanghai in 2001, and her first visit to China as head of state. President Hu Jintao was then the vice president of President Xemin, she said. “Nagpunta na ako dito bilang panauhin din ni Vice President Hu Jintao noong panahong iyon kaya matagal na nga, old friend na nga,” she recalled. The President cited the 1,500 Filipino professionals working here in Beijing for their great contribution to the growing good relationship between the Philippines and China, and for their remittances for their loved ones back home. “Kaya ako ay nagpapasalamat sa 1,500 Filipino na narito sa Beijing, salamat sa inyong tulong sa ating gumagandang relasyon sa China. Salamat sa inyong tulong sa kaunlaran ng ating bansa sa pamamagitan ng pauwi ninyong dollars at nawa’y tuloy-tuloy pa ang inyong suporta sa ating minamahal na bayang Pilipinas,” the President told the 300 Filipinos gathered at the grand ballroom. At the same occasion, the President honored the 15 Filipino athletes who would participate in the 2008 Beijing Olympics as she introduced them one-by-one to the Filipino community here. The 15 athletes who were also invited by the President to the luncheon also were Tshomlee Go (taekwondo), Toni Rivero (taekwondo, Mark Javier (archery), Harry Tanamor (boxing), Miguel Molina (swimming-200 meter individual medley), Daniel Coakley (swimming-50 meter freestyle), James Walsh (swimming-200 meter butterfly), Ryan Arabejo (swimming-1500 meter freestyle), Shiela Mae Perez (diving-womens 3 meter springboard), Rexel Ryan Fabriga (diving-men’s 10 meter platform), Christel Simms (swimming), Eric Ang (shooting), Henry Dagmil (athletics-men’s long jump), Maristella Torres (athletics-women’s long jump). Also present during the luncheon party were Philippine Ambassador to China Sonia Cataumber-Brady, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and WBC Lightweight Champion and special envoy to the 2008 Beijing Olympics Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao. During the program, the President led the official launching of the Synchronized Breastfeeding Worldwide: Year 2, a campaign initiated by the Philippines to promote breastfeeding and revive the nurturing breastfeeding culture. She also witnessed the passing of the torch, and the handing of a portrait of a breastfeeding mom, to Jiang Xiaojuan, an active policewoman who breastfeed 9 infants who survived the Sichuan earthquake. Dr. Elvira Henares-Esguerra handed over the torch to Xiaojuan. Esguerra also presented to the President the two gold medals received by her organization for promoting breastfeeding. The first gold medal won by the Philippines was for its breastfeeding advocacy, and the second award, was given by the Guinness Book of World Record. |
| PGMA invites Australian Prime Minister to visit RP |
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BEIJING, China (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has invited
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to address the 2nd Global Forum on
Migration and Development, and the Philippine-Australian Ministerial Meeting
(PAMM) set in Manila this October. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said the President extended her invitation to the Australian leader to visit the Philippines during their bilateral meeting Saturday afternoon at the Asia Hotel, her official residence during her three-day working visit to this 29th Olympics city. “The President invited Prime Minister Rudd to address the 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development. Of course, we are going to have also our Philippine-Australian Ministerial Meeting in October and they both agreed that this would be a good time for PM Rudd to visit the Philippines,” Romulo told members of the Philippine media covering the President’s visit here. Romulo said foreign office officials of both countries will work out a suitable arrangement for Rudd’s trip to the Philippines to coincide with the holding of the forum on migration and the PAMM. The forum, he added, is a good opportunity to tackle immigration issues between the Philippines and Australia and ensure that the interests and welfare of the nationalities of both the sending and receiving countries will always be respected and protected. According to Romulo about 200,000 Filipinos, mostly professionals such as engineers, doctors, lawyers, teachers and business people, are living in Australia. “So it will be an opportune time for Australia to be in the 2nd global forum in as much as this meeting (concerns) both the sending and receiving countries,” he said. The two leaders would also explore ways and means to advance the interests of both the Philippines and Australia in the region, Romulo added. He pointed out that aside from hosting thousands of Filipinos, Australia is one of the Philippines’ major sources of development assistance. From A$68 million, Australia’s official development assistance (ODA) to the Philippines has doubled to A$120-A$140 million. Australia’s development assistance has been of “great help to our many projects, including those in southern Mindanao,” Romulo said. |
| Australia backs Santiago's candidacy to UN's international Court of Justice |
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BEIJING, China (via PLDT) – Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia assured
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Saturday that his government would
“seriously” support the candidacy of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago to the
International Court of Justice (ICJ), the primary judicial body of the
United Nations (UN). Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said Prime Minister Rudd made the assurance to President Arroyo during their one-hour bilateral meeting at the Jinshou Room of the Asia Hotel here. “In that meeting, PM Rudd said that they will consider seriously the candidacy of Senator Miriam (to the ICJ),” Romulo told members of the Philippine media this morning (Sunday). Romulo said President Arroyo presented to the Australian official a summary of Santiago’s outstanding credentials in both the judiciary and legislative branches of the Philippine government, and her vast experience as an executive. The foreign affairs secretary said Santiago would provide gender balance in the composition of the ICJ as the only woman member of the team if she gets the post. He explained that the term of office of the current ICJ justices will expire once a new set of justices are elected. Romulo said that President Arroyo and PM Rudd also discussed the Status of the Visiting Forces Agreement (SOFA) of which Santiago, as chair of the foreign relations committee of the Senate, is the sponsor. The SOFA bill is one of the administration’s priority measures. Romulo said the President informed Rudd that based on the assurances given to her by Santiago the SOFA bill will be tackled by the Senate within the next few months. |
| PGMA attends Sunday mass at Beijing's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception |
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BEIJING, China (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo attended
Sunday mass this morning at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, more
popularly known as the South Cathedral, in downtown Beijing. With First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and some members of her delegation, the President arrived at 10:28 a.m. for the 10:30 a.m. English-language mass. Also among the distinguished church-goers were the President of Samoa and the Duke of Luxembourg. An all-Filipino choir, a regular feature of the Sunday mass in the South Cathedral, provided the music. Bishop Joseph Li Shan heads the church. A huge painting of Mother Mary wearing a crown and standing on a globe dominates the church’s altar. The mass was celebrated by Rev. Fr. Justin Liu, the assistant international parish chaplain, who welcomed President Arroyo and the two other foreign dignitaries, thanking them for attending the Eucharistic celebration. Fr. Liu’s announcement that the “President of the Philippines” was in church to attend the holy mass was greeted with applause by the parishioners. Known in Chinese as “Nan Tang” along Qianmen Xidajie in Xuanwumen district, the church celebrates daily masses in Chinese, and two masses in English at 10:30 a.m. and at 4 p.m. on Sundays. The President was the first to take the Holy Communion from the parish priest, followed by the First Gentleman. On her way out of the church at the end of the mass, she shook hands with several other church-goers from Europe and the Pacific, most of whom are visiting China to watch the 29th Beijing Olympics. |
| Filipino athletes in Beijing Olympics already winners in their own right -- PGMA |
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BEIJING (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today she is
proud of the Filipino athletes competing in the 29th Olympic Games here,
saying they are already winners in their own right. In a television interview this afternoon at the Jinshou Room of the Asia Hotel where she and her delegation are billeted, the President told Solar Sports Channel that it took so much of the individual athletes just to qualify for the Olympic Games. In the hearts and minds of the sports-loving Filipino people, the members of the Philippine athletic delegation to the Beijing Olympiad are already winners, she said. “Gusto nating malaman nila na sila ay nagsisimula pa lamang ay kampeon na sila sa isip at damdamin ng bawat Pilipino,” the President pointed out. “Lalahok ka pa lamang, or papayagan ka pa lamang na makilahok sa Olympic Games, kampeon ka na. “Napakalaki na ng kanilang nagawa… Magaling ang kanilang pagka-katawan ng bansang Pilipino. “Kaya sila ay role models ng bawa’t isa sa atin. Talagang kinakatawan nila ang bansang Pilipinas. Sila ay kampeon na bago pa man nagsimula (ang Olympic Games),” she added. The President, who attended Sunday mass this morning at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Beijing, said she is happy with the Philippine contingent to the Beijing Games. “Tayo’y talagang nasisiyahan dito, at gusto nating malaman ng ating mga atleta na we are cheering them on,” citing archer Mark Javier whose performance she watched Saturday. “I was very proud of him -- I saw his ranking move up by 20 points! He has broken the Philippine record kaya congratulations to him,” she said. The President said she fully recognized the sacrifices of the Philippine Olympic delegation: “Tinatanaw natin ang mga sakripisyong ginagawa ng ating mga atleta para makipag-paligsahan dito sa mga world-class na events na ito.” Asked about her thoughts on China’s hosting of the Olympic Games, the President said that “bilang isa sa mga pangulong natatanging panauhin ni Pangulong Hu Jintao, isa itong karangalan para sa ating bansa.” Personally, it was a big honor to have seen first-hand the spectacular facilities put up by the Chinese government for the World games, and the exciting events of the Olympic Games, she pointed out. “Pinapalakpakan din natin ang taong bayan ng Tsina sa kanilang masipag na pagta-trabaho,” she added. “Ipinagmamalaki natin ang ating mga atleta kasi sila ay matagumpay at sila ay magagaling. Sila ay role model ng mga kabataang Pilipino, kasi ang ating bansang Pilipinas ay gustong-gusto ang sports, mahilig na mahilig tayo sa sports.” Earlier in the afternoon, the President was also interviewed by China’s government-run CCTV for a documentary. The President, who flies back to Manila from the Beijing International Airport at 1 a.m. tomorrow (Monday), is scheduled to arrive about four hours later at the Centennial Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). |
| President back in RP early Monday morning after successful 4-day visit to Chengdu, Beijing |
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BEIJING (via PLDT) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo flies home shortly
after midnight tonight after a successful four-day visit to Chengdu in
Sichuan province, and this capital city where she cheered on Filipino
athletes competing in the Beijing Olympics. The President, whose first day (Thursday, August 7) in this trip was spent distributing four truckloads of Philippine-made noodles to the May 12 earthquake victims in Sichuan province west of here, will fly out of the Beijing International Airport at 1 a.m. Monday (Aug. 11) on her way back home. She is expected to arrive at the NAIA shortly after 5 a.m. President Arroyo attended Friday’s opening ceremonies of the 29th Olympic Games at the Bird’s Nest stadium where she cheered on the Philippine Team. Earlier on the same day, the President was the special guest of President Hu Jintao at the luncheon-reception the Chinese leader tendered in honor of the more than 80 world leaders and their consorts who attended the opening the of the World Games. Cited as “an old friend of China” by no less than the Chinese president, President Arroyo was seated at Hu Jintao’s “Peony Table” with the presidents of the United States, Russia and France, and the prime minister of Japan. The following day (Saturday, Aug. 9), the President was again honored by the Chinese president with his first Olympic-time bilateral talks. It was learned that Hu Jintao had chosen to meet one-on-one with only two-three country leaders from among the 84 or so world dignitaries who graced the spectacular opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. In their bilateral talks on the Saturday morning at the Fujian Room of the hallowed Great Hall of the People, the two leaders agreed on the need to continue working for peace and prosperity not just in the Philippines and China, but in the whole Asian region, according to Trade Secretary Peter Favila who accompanied the President to the bilateral talks. Chinese President Hu Jintao also told President Arroyo during their meeting that he is looking forward to meeting her again during the ASEAN Summit and in the APEC Meet, added Favila. This morning, the President and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo attended an English-language Sunday mass at the South Cathedral here. |
