July-September 2005 Publication of the Philippine Embassy in Beijing
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Philippines-China CHRONICLE Vol. 6 No. 3 July-September 2005 Publication of the Philippine Embassy in Beijing bers of the Filipino community during the Philippine Chief Justice Davide visits China dinner, the Chief Justice stressed the role that each Filipino could play in nation- Mrs. Gaa hosted the Chief Justice, Mrs. building. Virginia Davide, and the delegation to an activity called “Embassy Night” at the During the dinner, Filipino community Embassy’s Acacia Hall. members Jose Viola “Ka Peping” and Lisa At the program, Ambassador Gaa Tanner rendered musical performances. noted that with the visit of the Chief Jus- CNN Bureau Chief Jaime FlorCruz tice to China, he was privileged to have astounded visitors with his flawless display received all the heads of the three co- of Chinese opera skills. Mrs. Davide and equal branches of the Philippine Govern- other members of the delegation and the ment during his tour of duty. President Filipino community also gamely rendered Arroyo visited China in September 2004. songs and piano performances. Senate President Drilon and Speaker de Members of the delegation included Venecia visited China in April and Sep- Associate Justices Leonardo A. Qui- tember 2004, respectively. Ambassador sumbing, Conchita Carpio-Morales and Chief Justice Hilario Davide and wife, Virginia, Gaa also noted the increasing cooperation Adolfo S. Azcuna of the Supreme Court, pose with Ambassador and Madame Gaa at the between the Philippines and China on associate justices from the Court of Ap- Embassy. mutual legal assistance and on criminal peals, and RTC/MTC judges and lawyers. Philippine Supreme Court Chief Jus- matters. tice Hilario Davide led a delegation of 56 In his remarks, the Chief Justice noted justices, judges, lawyers and their the excellent state of bilateral relations spouses to attend the 22nd Biennial Con- between the two countries. He recalled the ference of the World Jurist Association in visit to the Philippines of Chinese Supreme Beijing and Shanghai on 4-10 September. People’s Court President Xiao Yang in Aside from participating in the Con- 2001 to attend the 100th anniversary of the ference, the Chief Justice also met with founding of the Philippine Supreme Chinese Supreme People’s Court Presi- Court. He also said that he was happy to dent Xiao Yang and exchanged views on have visited China before his retirement Philippines-China relations, including later in the year. bilateral legal cooperation. Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna and Mrs. Asun- Acknowledging the presence of mem- cion Azcuna with Minister Jaime Victor Ledda On 6 September, Ambassador and and Mrs. Gina Ledda. Former Chinese Ambassadors make nostalgic visit to RP RP-PRC trade hits US$7.8B Five former Chinese Ambassadors to the Philippines made a nostalgic visit to the Philippines on 5-10 July 2005 as part of the Philippines-China trade grew 35 year-long activities to celebrate the 30th percent in the first half of the year anniversary of the establishment of diplo- to reach US$7.78 billion. Accord- matic relations between the two countries. ing to statistics from the Chinese H.E. Ke Hua, the first Ambassador of General Administration of Cus- the People’s Republic of China to the Phil- toms, Philippine exports to China ippines in 1975, led the delegation that also amounted to US$5.53 billion while included Ambassador Wang Yingfan, cur- imports from China reached rently Vice Chair of the Foreign Relations Former Chinese ambassadors to the Philippines US$2.239 billion, representing Committee of the National People’s Con- pose with President Arroyo. year-on-year increases of 45.6 and gress of China, and Ambassadors Chen Embassy in 1975. 14.4 percentages, respectively. Songlu, Huang Guifang, and Guan Deng- Secretary Romulo described the meeting The Philippines posted a trade sur- ming. They were joined by their spouses. as “a gathering of the hands and minds” plus of US$3.295 billion. During their visit, the Ambassadors paid that helped bring bilateral ties from their courtesy calls on President Gloria Macapa- early tentative steps to the threshold of what RP-China trade amounted to gal-Arroyo, Speaker Jose de Venecia and President Arroyo and President Hu Jintao US$13.3 billion in 2004. Since Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo. called “a golden age of partnership”. 2000, RP-China trade has been Secretary Romulo hosted a luncheon in The Ambassadors also met with former growing at an average rate of 43.78 honor of the visiting Ambassadors and Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos, who percent. During the visit of Chi- former Philippine Ambassadors to China, was instrumental in the establishment of nese President Hu Jintao to the including Ambassadors Felipe Mabilangan, diplomatic relations between the Philip- Philippines in April 2004, a trade Romualdo Ong, Josue Villa, and Rafael pines and China, and were hosted to a ban- figure of US$30 billion was tar- Gonzales. The latter served as the quet by the Chinese-Filipino community in geted for 2010. first Chargé d’Affaires at the Philippine Manila. Philippines-China Chronicle 2 July - September 2005 DIPLOMATIC NOTES RP young political DOT Beijing puts up booth in international tourism exhibition leaders visit China To promote the Philippines to cos- A delegation from the Philippine mopolites in the capital, the Philippine Council of Young Political Leaders Tourism Office in Beijing joined the (PCYPL) headed by Bulacan Governor Tourism Exhibition and Photography Josefina de la Cruz paid an official Display of the 8th Beijing International visit to China on 3-10 July 2005 at the Cultural and Tourism Fair (BICTF) invitation of the International Depart- held at the Sun Dong An Plaza on ment of the Communist Party of China Wangfujing on 23- 25 September 2005. Central Committee (CPCCC). Aside from putting up a booth, DOT In Beijing, the delegation met with Beijing also contributed beautiful Posing in front of the Philippine booth at the 8th photographs of Philippine travel desti- Beijing International Cultural Tourism Festival National People’s Congress Standing (BICTF) are (from left) Minister Jaime Victor Committee Vice Chairman and Chi- nations for the Fair. Ledda of the Philippine Embassy, Ms. Xiong nese Association for International Held annually, the Exhibition is a Yumei, Deputy Director of the Beijing Tourism platform for Chinese and foreign Administration, Ms. Jazmin Esguerra, Tourism Understanding (CAFIU) Vice Presi- Attaché, Ms. Zhiju Qin, Editor-in-Chief of Tour- dent Cheng Siwei and Vice Minister tourism industry sectors to showcase ism Magazine and Ms. Ruth Chuaunsu, Philip- Cai Wu of the CPCCC International their travel products and services. pine Airlines District Manager. Department. Minister and Consul Jaime Victor the opening ceremonies of the travel Mr. Cheng noted during his meeting B. Ledda and Tourism Attaché Jazmin fair. Ambassador and Madame Gaa with the delegation the “very good” Esguerra represented the Embassy at later visited the Philippine booth. state of cooperation between China and the Philippines in the economic field. Filipino dance group joins tourism and cultural festival He cited the Caloocan-Malolos North- Tourism Festival (BICTF) that opened rail project, which he said will con- on 24 September 2005. tribute to the development of Bulacan. The festival, held annually by the Governor de la Cruz affirmed that Beijing Municipal Government and the 21 out of the 32 kms. of the Northrail’s Beijing Tourism Administration, is tracks will be in Bulacan. She aimed at promoting greater understand- expressed appreciation for the confi- ing and exchanges between China and dence shown by Chinese investors in the world and to promote the 2008 the Philippines. Beijing Olympics. Artists from more She added that more Chinese in- than 40 countries performed in this year’s three-day festival. vestments are awaited in the country. The Leyte Kalipayan Dance company performs Vice Chairman Cheng said the Chi- their stilt-walking dance at the annual parade of the The Leyte Kalipayan Dance Com- th nese government encourages its busi- 8 BICTF. pany was founded in 1961 and is com- nessmen to invest overseas, and that The Leyte Kalipayan Dance Com- posed of students. The group has been active in repre- the Philippines will have several op- pany delighted thousands of spectators senting the Philippines in international portunities to attract Chinese invest- with their skillful stilt-walking dance at the annual marching parade of the folklore festivals as cultural ambassa- ments. 8th Beijing International Cultural and dors. CPCCC International Department Vice Minister Cai noted during his Philippines in Jilin trade expo Embassy promotes RP in Beihai meeting with the PCYPL delegation Ambassador Willy Gaa led a 60- the need to promote more exchanges member delegation of Philippine gov- between the two sides. ernment officials and business repre- During the visit, an MOU for ex- sentatives in participating in the First change of visits between CAFIU and China Jilin-Northeast Asia Investment PCYPL was signed. and Trade Expo held on 2-6 September The young leaders’ delegation also 2005 at the Changchun Jilin Interna- visited Hangzhou and Xiamen. tional Exhibition Center. Philippine participation was jointly sponsored by the Jilin Fuhua Interna- tional Group and the Philippine SL Agritech Corporation, partners in the Embassy Minister Jaime Victor B. Ledda promoted the Philippines as an investment desti- Philippine hybrid corn development nation for Chinese businessmen at the China- project.