China supports the call for a summit of rice consumers in Asia, said Liang Wentao, economic counselor of the Chinese embassy in the country.

In an interview, Liang also said that China with its billion population would be more seriously affected by any shortage in food, particularly of rice.

“This is a global issue that is best discussed by everyone in the region. This is the challenge because it will be coming repeatedly,” he said.

Liang made the comments at Monday night’s Guangxi, China -- Philippine Trade and Economic Cooperation Promotion Conference.

Senator Manuel Roxas II, who heads the trade and commerce committee, filed a resolution Monday, asking the Philippine government to initiate the holding of a food summit by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), together with its dialogue partners China, Japan, and South Korea.

In Senate Resolution 345, Roxas said the move would show the world that the regional bloc was prepared for the full integration it was seeking.

In the same event, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Song Tao noted the rapid growth of bilateral economic and trade cooperation, as well as people-to-people exchanges, between the two countries.

“According to the statistics of Chinese Customs, the bilateral trade volume of 2007 between our two countries amounted to $30.6 billion, which accomplished the $30 billion trade target in 2010 set by both Chinese and Philippine Presidents three years ahead of schedule,” he said.

The ambassador also stressed that the Chinese comprise the fastest growing source of tourist arrivals for the Philippines, with 157,000 tourists from mainland China in 2007.

Without mentioning the Spratlys dispute among China, the Philippines, and Vietnam, Song praised the strong friendship between the Philippines and his country.

“The currently stable situation and fast growing economy in the Asia-Pacific region has brought China and the Philippines a precious opportunity for cooperation and internal development. We should highly treasure as well as maintain and make full use of the historical opportunity,” he said.

“The development process of China-Philippines relations demonstrates that we can embrace a common brighter future only when mutual trust and benefit is achieved and harmonious status is established,” he added.

The ambassador reiterated China’s commitment to peace in the region.

“The Chinese government adheres to the diplomatic guidelines of friendship and partnership with neighboring countries and the policy to build an amicable, tranquil, and prosperous neighborhood in the region,” he said.

On the Guangxi, China-Philippines conference, Song said the potential for trade and investment cooperation would fall in the following categories: agriculture, fishery, infrastructure, machinery, tourism, etc.

Vice President Noli De Castro and Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza were among the top government officials that attended the conference.
spurce:globalnation.inquirer.net