On March 26th, Song Tao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met with Alfonso Cusi, Vice Chairman of the Philippine Democratic Party–Power of the Nation (PDP–Laban) and Energy Secretary of the Philippines.

Song said that China and the Philippines are friendly close neighbors facing each other across the sea and helping each other. Under the guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Rodrigo Duterte, China-Philippines relations have returned to the right track and stood at a new historical starting point. The CPC is ready to work with the Philippine ruling party to actively implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, adhere to good-neighborliness and friendship, strengthen strategic dialogue, exchange experience in state governance and administration, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and jointly send a positive signal to the world to deepen China-Philippines friendship and promote China-Philippines cooperation.

Cusi said that the Philippines regards China as a good neighbor. The Philippines thanks China for its long-term support to its just cause of economic and social development, drug control and counter-terrorism, and looks forward to deepening the alignment of development strategies with China and jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples. The PDP–Laban regards the CPC as its "big brother" and hopes to learn from the CPC's experience and practices in party building, cadre training and targeted poverty alleviation, carry out exchanges and cooperation in youth, education and people's livelihood, and promote the continuous development of the relations between the two Parties and countries.

Song and Cusi also witnessed the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and the National Council of the Philippine Democratic Party–Power of the Nation on entrusting relevant organizations to carry out cooperation on people's livelihood.

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