P-Noy Spends P25-M In China Visit

The Philippine government spent some P25 million for President Benigno Aquino III’s five-day state visit to China. The visit was dominated by discussions on expanding trade and investments with one of the world’s biggest economies, Executive Sec. Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said.

The President left Tuesday night, August 30 via a special commercial PAL flight to China, along with a delegation led by Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, and Energy Secretary Rene Almendras.　

A group of over 200 Philippine business rep-resentatives also accom-panied the presidential delegation in the hope to clinch major investment deals.

The Chief Executive’s state visit from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3　at the invitation of President Hu Jintao who took him to Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen, where he met top Chinese officials and key business leaders.

"The Presidential visit further strengthen bilateral ties between the Philippines and China, especially in the aspect of trade and commerce," Ochoa said.

"President Aquino met Chinese businessmen and economic policy-makers, and closed some investment deals that will benefit those involved," Ochoa added.

The P25-million budget covered expenses for the special commercial flight, hotel accommodations, food, transportation, telecommunications and equipment requirements, among others, during the three-leg state visit.　

The Chief Executive first stopped in Beijing, where he met President Hu in a bilateral meeting, followed by the signing of economic agreements and a state banquet.

President Aquino also met with Premier Wen Jiabao and legislators, including Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, as well as members of the Filipino community in the Chinese capital.

In Shanghai, the President met with local officials and major business groups, signed agreements aimed to boost trade ties. He also held a meeting with the Filipinos based in this premier economic hub.　

President Aquino last stopped in Xiamen. He visited Hongjian Village in Fujian province where he viewed the araucaria tree planted in 1988 by his mother, former President Corazon C. Aquino. The President then planted his own tree in the village and interacted with the members of the Xu (Co) clan, where his late mother traced her ancestral roots more than two decades ago. /MP