Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo left on Friday morning for an official visit to China for ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-China Commemorative Summit celebrating the 15th anniversary of relations between China and the 10-member regional bloc.

 

President Arroyo and her delegation of Cabinet officials, congressmen, a senator, local executives and business leaders left at about 9:00 a.m. on board chartered Philippine Airlines flight PR 001.

 

She did not deliver any statement prior to her departure.

 

Arroyo will visit the cities of Xiamen, Jinjiang, Nanchang and Guilin before proceeding to Nanning where the ASEAN-China Commemorative Summit will be held from October 30 to 31.

 

Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye earlier said the summit will come up with a joint statement on economic cooperation between China and the ASEAN for the next 15 years.

 

After her five-day trip to the Chinese mainland, the president will have a two-day side trip to Hong Kong.

 

The Philippines is this year's host of the 12^th ASEAN Summit to be held in Cebu this coming December.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2006)