Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said in Manila Thursday that the Filipino-Chinese ties have entered a golden age as the two countries marked the 30th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations. 

Addressing some 1,500 people at a reception hosted by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and Chinese Embassy in Manila, Arroyo said she expected a "new booming era" in Filipino-Chinese relations.

Wearing Chinese national dress, Arroyo won long applause from her audience during her important speech on Philippines' rediscovery of China in the past 30 years.

"The rise of China has a deep impact on the countries like the Philippines, which has embraced the historical opportunity to become China's strong partner," said the president.

She praised Chinese President Hu Jintao for paying a state visit to her country in April, which she said was a milestone in the development of friendship between the Filipino and Chinese peoples and cooperation between the two Asian neighbors in all fields.

Arroyo also thanked China for making US$1 billion of investment in a southern Filipino nickel mine, which is the biggest single investment in the country's mineral field.

Calling Chinese help "very generous," the president said with its assistance and technology, China will become a source of economic growth of the Philippines and a "natural engine" of economic development for the whole Asia.

Arroyo also thanked the Chinese-Filipino community for standing by the government in times of difficulty and for working for the economic development and national unity of the Philippines.

Condemning those who want to "sow new disunity among the Filipino people," Arroyo said she would fight to realize her reforms until the end instead of putting her agenda "into ashes."

She said she is determined to narrow the gap between the poor and the rich, to make the nation a "one nation" instead of "two nations (of rich and poor)."

"I am inspired by the reforms of China," said Arroyo. "We have completed the first phase of economic reforms.... This is a year of genuine transformations for the Philippines."

(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2005)