ILOILO CITY — Chinese Consul-General Jia Li said his visit to the city aims to strengthen ties between his country and the Philippines.
“I would like to take this opportunity to discuss with this government on how we can enhance the relationship between the two countries (China and the Philippines), including political, economic, cultural and people-to-people exchange,” Li said when he called on Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. here Thursday.
During their 20-minute talk, the consul general said the Chinese government always puts premium on the importance of developing friendship with the Philippines.
Defensor shared that Iloilo has one of the biggest Chinese communities in the country, and it has been instrumental in the business environment of the city and province of Iloilo.
“Iloilo was one of the earliest Chinese settlements long before the Americans arrived. We’ve been trading with China for centuries,” Defensor said.
Meanwhile, Li also mentioned the value of people-to-people exchange programs.
He said they are targeting the Filipino youth to go to China to study Mandarin, and in return, they hope the Chinese youth would get immersed in the history and culture of the Philippines.
“The youth is the future of the country. They are the important resources of the nation,” he said.
Li also attended the 15th founding anniversary luncheon of the Iloilo Scholastic Academy at the Iloilo Grand Xing Imperial Hotel on Thursday. (Cindy Ferrer/PNA)
