Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao shakes hands with Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during their meeting in Manila, Jan. 15, 2007. (Xinhua Photo/Liu Weibing) Photo Gallery >>>

    MANILA, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met here on Monday with Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

    During the talks, the two leaders highly evaluated the Sino-Philippine relations and expressed their willingness to take more active measures to push bilateral ties towards deeper development.

    The talks were held in a cordial and friendly atmosphere and both Premier Wen and President Arroyo expressed satisfaction over the result of the talks.

    Wen said that China and the Philippines are friendly neighbors, and the people of the two countries have a tradition of friendly exchange which dated back to long time ago.

    In the 32 years after the two countries established diplomatic relations, the relations between the two countries have obtained satisfying development, whose highest level of development is embodied by the establishment of a strategic cooperative partnership dedicated to peace and development.

    Premier Wen also expressed his agreement with President Arroyo's description as "the golden era" the present situation of Sino-Philippine relations.

    Wen said peace, cooperation and development are common desire of the people of all countries in the Asian region. He expressed his satisfaction over the deepening relationship between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and prospering cooperation in the East Asian region, which he said has given unprecedented opportunity and wider space for development of bilateral relations between China and the Philippines.

    He said the Chinese government is ready to further deepen cooperation with the Philippine side in all fields on the basis of equality, mutual trust, mutual benefit and mutual help.

    The Premier said China also wishes to closely coordinate with the Philippines to push forward China-ASEAN relations and East Asian cooperation process, in order to contribute to the maintenance of peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

    Wen fully acknowledged the results from the first phase of cooperation in common development of the South China Sea by China, the Philippines and Vietnam.

    He pointed out that the trilateral cooperation in developing the South China Sea implies a deep meaning for peace and stability in the South China Sea region, as well as the increase of mutual trust among the three countries.

    He expressed his hope that the three countries start consultation as soon as possible on the next phase of cooperation plan for common development of the South China Sea, in order to have more substantial results on the common development of the water body in an early time.

    Wen also expressed his high appreciation of the one China policy firmly maintained in a long time by the Philippine government and expressed his gratitude for the support given by the Philippine government to China's grand cause of peaceful reunification.

    President Arroyo said Filipino-Chinese relations have attained a very high level and the two countries have been carrying out substantial cooperation in a wide range of areas. She said the present Filipino-Chinese relations have entered an era of golden age characterized by a high level mutual trust, comprehensive development and full maturity.

    Arroyo said the China-ASEAN Summit in commemoration of the 15thanniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between the two sides held last October in Nanning and the just-concluded 10thASEAN-China Summit in Cebu have given a clear direction and specified plans for better development in the future of relations between ASEAN and China.

    She said the two summits also have opened a wide perspective to the development of bilateral relations between the Philippines and China. The Philippines is willing to use this opportunity to strengthen its strategic cooperative relations with China.

    Arroyo expressed her gratitude to China for the help provided by China to Philippines' economic and social development, as well as disaster reduction and relief in the Philippines. She said the Philippines regards China as an important cooperative partner, and is ready to open all potential of cooperation and widen the scale of bilateral economic and trade and investment cooperation.

    Arroyo expressed her confidence that the signing of the "Agreement on Trade and Services of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area" will provide more opportunities for the two countries to carry out cooperation in relevant fields.

    She said the Philippines welcomes more Chinese businesses to come and invest, especially in the fields of agriculture, fishery and infrastructure.

    Arroyo said the Philippines has many Filipino-Chinese citizens and Chinese culture has big influence in the Philippines. The Philippines wishes to enhance exchanges with China in the fields of culture and humanity.

    Arroyo said that the Philippines intends to seek further cooperation with China toward the direction of common development of the South China Sea.