Pubdate: Mon, 30 Sep 2002 Source: Sunstar Manila (Philippines) Copyright: 2002, Sunstar Contact: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2304 Author: Joshua Dancel RP, CHINA AGREE TO FIGHT ILLEGAL DRUGS MALACAQANG - on Sunday struck an agreement with the Chinese government in fighting off transnational crimes and proliferation of illegal drugs. General Chi Haotian, China's Defense Minister, yesterday paid President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a visit at the Palace before flying back to his country. Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said that among the highlights of the courtesy call was the reaffirmation of the two countries to "combat terrorism," with the intention to execute the memorandum of agreement in the fight against transnational crime. "We are ready to cooperate with China to combat terrorism," Bunye said. Implementing the agreement, he said, would mean more high-level visits to the Philippines, including docking privileges of Chinese naval ships in local ports, intelligence exchanges, student and officer exchanges, environmental cooperation, symposium or workshops and language exchange programs, particularly for the military. The President, he said, also emphasized the country's commitment to resolve the Spratley's Islands dispute in Palawan peacefully. "We are taking a consistent procedure of exercising restraint and avoiding actions, which may aggravate the situation," Bunye said. In fact, Bunye said the President committed to "explore areas of cooperation in the South China Sea" to mutually benefit from the possible developmental gains in the disputed jurisdiction. "South China sea is the sea that unites rather than divides the Philippines and China," Bunye said. Among the possible expansion areas to be undertaken by the two countries in confidence building, Bunye said, are fisheries cooperation, and marine environmental protection. As a sign of the Chinese government's commitment to peace, Bunye said 40 dump trucks were donated to the Armed Forces of the Philippines worth $3 million. "We also thank the Chinese government for offering a Mandarin language program to our DND-AFP personnel," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D