Chinese FM visits Philippines

MANILA, Oct. 28 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi Wednesday arrived here for a two-day official visit and is expected to sign with his Filipino counterpart two agreements on strategic cooperation and consular affairs.

During his visit, Yang is set to hold talks with Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto G. Romulo on bilateral, regional and international issues of common interests and pay a visit to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said.

As discussed and agreed between the Chinese and Philippine sides, the Joint Action Plan for Strategic Cooperation and Consular Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of the Philippines are expected to be signed by Yang and Romulo in the presidential palace, the embassy said.

On Wednesday, Yang was greeted by the House of Representatives Speaker Prospero Nograles at the Villamore airport in Manila.

Yang flew in from Bangalore, India where he met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna at the eighth foreign ministers' meeting of the three countries.