Manila, August 29th—Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met here today with Imee Marcos, Chairperson of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee of the Philippines.

Liu said, China has always taken China-Philippines relations as a priority in neighboring diplomacy. The Chinese side is willing to work with the Philippine side to implement the important consensus reached by General Secretary Xi Jinping and President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, intensify high-level exchanges, strengthen exchanges between the political parties, actively dovetail the Belt and Road Initiative with the "Build, Build, Build" program of the Philippines, properly handle relevant differences, and open up a "golden era" of China-Philippines relations. People-to-people and cultural exchanges are the social foundation of state-to-state relations, and the two sides should make greater efforts to strengthen personnel exchanges and enhance understanding and friendship between the two sides. China and the Philippines cannot develop without a peaceful and stable regional environment. And China commends the Philippines for adhering to the one-China principle and actively promotes China-ASEAN cooperation.

Imee Marcos said, the Philippines and China have a long history of traditional friendship and have maintained good development momentum in bilateral relations. The Philippine side actively supports the political parties, governments and parliaments of the two sides to strengthen contacts between all departments at all levels, enhance political communication and mutual trust, strengthen practical and mutually beneficial cooperation, and deepen people-to-people exchanges in all fields, so as to continuously consolidate the political and public foundation of Philippines-China relations, and push Philippines-China relations to a higher level. The Philippine side's position on the one-China principle has never changed and will not change. The Philippine side also hopes to promote dialogue and cooperation between the Philippines and China on the South China Sea issue in an appropriate manner, and is willing to work with China to maintain regional peace and stability and achieve common development and prosperity.

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