Song noted that recent years have witnessed continuous development in bilateral relations and intensified exchanges between the CPC and PDP-Laban, thanks to the joint guidance of General Secretary Xi Jingping and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19, the two countries, two parties and two peoples have helped and supported each other, and shared experience and worked closely in jointly combating the epidemic. New progress has been made in bilateral cooperation in economy, trade and major projects, which greatly deepened the integration between the Belt and Road Initiative and the "Build, Build, Build" Program. Bilateral cooperation is showing strong resilience and potential, which once again shows that friendly cooperation is the correct choice that goes in line with the interests of the two countries and peoples, as well as safeguarding regional peace and stability.

Song expressed, China starts to implement 14th Five-year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, and embark on the new journey to fully build a modern socialist China this year. China will work faster to foster the new development paradigm, actively advancing opening-up to a higher level, and provide more development opportunities for all countries in the world including the Philippines. The CPC is willing to strengthen strategic communication with PDP-Laban, expand experience sharing in party governance and administration, and promote practical cooperation in economy, poverty alleviation, and education through such platforms as “political parties plus locality”, “political parties plus enterprises” and the Belt and Road Initiative, so as to better benefit the two peoples. It is hoped that both sides will reinforce international coordination, and jointly promote peace and development in the region and in the world at large.

Song said, not long ago General Secretary Xi Jinping announced that China had scored a complete victory in its fight against poverty, and accomplished the daunting task to eliminate absolute poverty, which is a huge contribution to the poverty alleviation cause in the world. Our experience in the battle against poverty is adherence to the leadership of the CPC, the people-centered philosophy, the approach of targeted poverty alleviation, and institutional strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics in pooling resources for major undertakings. The Chinese side is willing to work with the Philippine side to deepen experience exchanges and poverty alleviation cooperation demonstration, to better benefit the two peoples.

Pacquiao said, the Philippine side admired the remarkable achievements the Chinese people made in epidemic prevention and control, poverty alleviation and sustainable social and economic development under the leadership of the CPC, and believed China set an example for emerging countries. PDP-Laban attaches high importance to developing friendly cooperation relations with the CPC, and is willing to implement the important consensus between the two heads of state with the CPC, enhance institutionalized exchanges between ruling parties, and strengthen mutual learning in party building and poverty alleviation. It is hoped that both sides will cement practical cooperation in areas related to people’s livelihood, constantly enhance the friendship between the two peoples, and contribute to world’s development.

Chen Zhou, Vice-minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Huang Xilian, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines, were present.

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