President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo left early this morning for a three-day state visit to China where she is expected to explore new areas of cooperation between the Philippines and China in order to realize her 10-point development agenda.

The President’s chartered Philippine Airlines plane left at exactly 6:17 a.m. for Guangzhou, for a brief stopover, before proceeding to Beijing. In Guangzhou, the President will be briefed on how the Chinese government handled the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) that hit China last year.

The President was accompanied by First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, a 16-man official delegation composed of Cabinet members and legislators led by Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., and a top-level business delegation that included some Filipino-Chinese taipans.

Vice President Noli de Castro and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita led officials in the send-off ceremony for the President at the Villamor Airbase. Military and police officials led by Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Narciso Abaya and Philippine National Police chief, Director General Edgardo Aglipay were also among those in the send-off party.

Earlier, the President designated Vice President Noli de Castro as government caretaker while she is in China.

In Beijing, the President would meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Win Jiabao, and former President Jiang Zemin, now chairman of the Central Military Commission.

The President will also address the Third International Conference of Asian Political Parties in her capacity as head of the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats.

On the sideline of the conference, the President will hold a bilateral meeting with Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is also attending the conference.

GUANGZHOU (via PLDT)—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was assured here today of a more robust exchange of trade between the People’s Republic of China (PROC) and the Philippines that will signal the elevation of bilateral relations between the two countries to the highest level.

The assurance was made by Governor Huang Huahua of Guangdong province following the briefing on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) at the White Swan Hotel here.

The President, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, and the members of the Philippine delegation arrived at the New Baiyun International Airport at 8:03 a.m., the first stop of the three-day state visit to the PROC.

Gov. Huang thanked the President for making Guangdong province her first stop, a gesture which he noted is proof of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration’s high regard for its friendship with China.

"The growth of both countries is going so fast and our link is getting very close. This signals the stepping up of cooperation between us," Gov. Huang told the President.

The President expressed confidence that trade exchanges between Filipino and Chinese businessmen would accelerate.

GUANGZHOU (via PLDT)—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said here today that the Philippine government would adopt china’s three-pronged approach against the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in fighting communicable diseases.

At a briefing on SARS conducted by Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua at the White Swan Hotel here, the President said China’s campaign against SARS is a "good lesson and practice" that the Department of Health (DoH) could adopt.

The campaign focuses on increasing public awareness on the disease, promoting hygienic practices, and maintaining health and physical activities.

"It is a good campaign not only for the SARS but also for other communicable diseases, the President said.

The President decided to make Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong province, as the first step of her three-day state visit to the People’s Republic of China.

Guangdong became the center of the SARS epidemic last year with 15 cities in the province, registering record cases of SARS. A total of 1,512 residents in Guangdong were affected by SARS. Of this number, 1,454, or 96.2 percent, recovered, while 58 patients died.

This year, SARS reappeared in the province affecting four residents but who were eventually cured.

Huang said timely intervention, preventive measures, and use of Chinese traditional medicine and Western medicine "brought the disease under control."

"We stepped up efforts to monitor the progress of the disease and to provide early treatment," Huang informed President Macapagal-Arroyo.

The Philippine leader thanked Guangdong officials for the briefing, which, she said, would be of use to the Philippines in "fighting and preventing SARS from happening."

"All countries stand to benefit from China’s experience on SARS," she said.

The President lauded Gov. Huang for his country’s success in fighting SARS and preventing it from becoming a killer disease for the second year.

In his briefing, Gov. Huang admitted that Guangdong was "caught unprepared" last year when SARS broke out and that the Chinese government had to make a lot of preventive measures to contain the disease while at the same time maintain social stability and socio-economic development.

Significantly, despite the SARS outbreak, Guangdong posted a 13.6 percent growth in its gross domestic product (GDP) compared to 11.7 percent in 2002.

BEIJING—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrived here this afternoon for a three-day state visit aimed at forging new areas of cooperation with the communist state.

The presidential plane touched down at the Beijing Capital Airport at 1:25 p.m. On hand to welcome the Philippine leader and her official 15-member entourage were Chinese officials led by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Da Wei and former Chinese Ambassador to Manila Guan Deng Ming.

First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, who arrived ahead at the Chinese capital through a commercial flight, was also at the airport.

From the airport, President Macapagal-Arroyo motored to the State Guesthouse where she will stay during her visit. Other members of the delegation proceeded directly to the Great Hall of the People where she rejoined them for the formal welcome ceremonies and later the state banquet.

The Philippine President would meet with her Chinese counterpart, President Hu Jintao, as well as Premier Win Jiabao and former President Jiang Zemin, now chairman of the Central Military Commission, for talks expected to center on trade and security.

The President would witness the signing of a number of agreements on mass transportation, energy, agriculture and fisheries.

President Macapagal-Arroyo is also slated to preside at the signing of a purchase contract for some Chinese-made buses using compressed natural gas.

The Philippine delegation flew in here from Guangzhou City in Guandong province where she was briefed on China’s successful campaign to contain the dreaded severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) which downed over 1,500 people in the province alone last year.

President Macapagal-Arroyo noted that the Chinese experience in combating SARS could be adopted to fight other communicable diseases in the Philippines.