Chinese defense official arrives today for security dialogue
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Gen. Xiong Guangkai, defense vice minister and deputy chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China, is arriving in Manila today for the first RP-China Annual Defense and Security Dialogue.
The Chinese dignitary will stay here until May 25 on a mission to enhance long-standing friendly relations between the Philippines and China.
The annual dialogue serves as the bilateral framework for defense and security cooperation agreed upon during the visit of Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz Jr. to Beijing in November last year. It follows the recent visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to the country.
Xiong will be accompanied by five other senior and middle-level officers of the Chinese military.
The Chinese delegation will hold a dialogue with the Philippine panel led by Undersecretary Antonio Santos and Vice Admiral Ariston de los Reyes. Expected to be discussed will be the regional security situation, non-traditional security threats and various other issues of common interest.
During the visit, Xiong will call on Cruz, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and President Arroyo.
The visit will formalize details of China’s grant to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) of some R80 million worth of engineering equipment as agreed upon during Cruz’s visit to Beijing in November last year.
During the Ramos administration, the AFP acquired dump trucks from China for use by its engineering brigades. Cruz said the new engineering equipment from China will be used by the AFP in its humanitarian and civic action missions.
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