Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople will be on an official visit to China on 20-23 August 2003, upon the invitation of the government of the People’s Republic of China.

The Secretary is scheduled to meet with Premier Wen Jiabao, Head of Government of the People’s Republic of China; Chairman Wu Bangguo, Chair of the National People’s Congress, and his counterpart, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

“This will be the first high-level official visit by a Philippine official to the People’s Republic of China following the assumption in March 2003 of the so-called “fourth generation” of leaders. This elite group will be at the helm of the country in the next decade or two, and has for its primary aim, the elevation of China into a developed modern economy by 2010,” Secretary Ople said.

The Secretary said that his visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations by nurturing accord with the new leaders, acknowledging the deepening friendship and good-neighborly ties, and articulating Philippine views on the strategic directions of the relationship.

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs will meet with Premier Wen Jiabao, Head of Government, Chairman Wu Bangguo of the National People’s Congress, and his counterpart, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing during the visit.

In Beijing, the Secretary will also meet with members of the Filipino community and with local and international media.

The Secretary’s visit underscores the Philippine’s commitment to the 2001 Joint Statement on the Framework of Bilateral Cooperation in the 21st Century whereby both sides agreed, among other points, to sustain high-level exchange visits on a regular basis.

This is also the first official visit by a Philippine foreign secretary to Beijing since 1996, when then Secretary Domingo L. Siazon, Jr. visited in June for consultations on the South China Sea and other areas of cooperation following tensions over Mischief Reef in 1995.

The Secretary also said that Mr. Wu Bangguo, leader of the Chinese parliament and second in the politburo of the Communist Party of China, will visit Manila on 31 August – 2 September 2003. His official visit to Manila coincides with his participation as outgoing chair of the Assembly of Asian Parliamentarians for Peace. It will be the first visit by Chairman Wu to a foreign country in his new official capacity. END.