by Xia Fan, Yan Hao, Tai Beiping
HONG KONG, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines and China, which have enjoyed longstanding historical ties, should cooperate in various fields such as economy, trade, energy and infrastructure despite South China Sea disputes, a senior Philippine official has said.
Martin Andanar, Philippine presidential communications operations office secretary, made the comments in a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua here while on a short visit to Hong Kong.
The Philippines and China can provide each other with lots of opportunities for cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, investment, energy, infrastructure, tourism and manpower, he said.
Noting that friendly economic ties with China is "paramount" for the Philippines, Andanar especially described economic and trade cooperation with China, the world's second largest economy, as a "no-brainer," considering the fact that the two countries are just a stone's throw away.
The Philippines is also in need of infrastructure such as highways, railways, energy and Internet; China can offer valuable expertise and investments in these regards, he said.
Andanar called for more direct investments from China, which he said will be a big push for the economic development of a developing country like the Philippines.
Read the full story at Xinhua