Historic visit to Beijing fruitful, says Vice President

BEIJING -- Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ended yesterday here a fruitful five-day official visit to this capital copping two trade agreements that will provide livelihood opportunities for Filipinos and a much-needed boost to the Philippine economy.

Arroyo's visit to China is seen as very historic considering that she was the first foreign vice president received by China's three top leaders: Premier Zhu Rongji, President Jiang Zemin and Vice President Hu Jintao.

"This is unprecedented. The honor accorded her by the Chinese leaders is usually reserved to visiting heads of state," a Chinese protocol official said.

The Philippines and China both agreed to work closely to enhance their existing cordial bilateral relations.

"This development only demonstrates the two countries' flourishing relations despite their differences," the Vice President said.

During her meeting with Chinese officials, Arroyo reiterated the Philippine government's commitment to the one-China policy.

She also expressed hope that China's eventual succession to the World Trade Organization will effect positive changes in Asian trade.

"The Asia-Pacific region should be ready to face these challenges and play a major role in shaping the future of globalized trade," she stressed.

Arroyo witnessed here the signing of two memoranda of agreement on the reopening of the Atlas Mining Corp. and additional naval transport for the city of Cebu.

The Vice President and her party flew to Shanghai yesterday for a three-day visit. While in Shanghai, she will tour a flood control facility, the Pudong New Area Financial Zone, and visit the Shanghai Stock Exchange Center.

From Shanghai, she will fly to Hong Kong tomorrow for a three-day visit highlighted by her meeting with Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive Tung Chee-Hwa before moving on to the State of Israel for a five-day working visit.

During the 50-minute meeting with Jiang the other day, Arroyo expressed optimism that a regional code of conduct on the South China Sea would soon be adopted in the interest of regional peace and stability.

"The Philippines remains steadfast in its commitment to settle the dispute in the South China Sea through peaceful consultation and negotiation with other claimants," she stressed.

President Jiang, for his part, agreed that the dispute should be shelved by the claimant countries and instead work together for the joint development of the contested territory.

China shot down a draft code of conduct for claimants to a number of South China Sea islands at a regional summit in Manila last year.

China and the Philippines are joined in conflicting sovereignty claims over the islands by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

China promised last week to join the Philippines and other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries in launching a new bid next month for the code of conduct.

Disputed claims over the Scarborough Shoal, northeast of the Spratlys and more than 600 nautical miles (1,111 kilometers) from the southern Chinese island province of Hainan, have created friction between the two countries, heightened by the sinking last year of two Chinese fishing vessels in collisions with Philippine Navy vessels.

The shoal is located 125 nautical miles from Luzon island.

The China Sea flashpoint aside, both the Philippine government and the Chinese people are looking forward to the forthcoming state visit here of President Estrada, Arroyo said. Her official visit is seen as a preparation for the President's trip in May.

Included in the Vice President's official program - which wraps up on Monday - are visits to the Beijing Children's Welfare Institute and an ecology farm in the outskirts of the city.

The Philippine panel that joined her during meetings was composed of her husband lawyer Mike Arroyo, Ambassador Romualdo Ong, Manila Rep. Harry Angpin, Dr. Charles Chante of