China, Philippines sign 14 co-operation deals

MANILA - China and the Philippines have signed 14 co-operation deals as leaders of the two countries pledged to strengthen "positive momentum" in bilateral relations, China’s State newsagency, Xinhua, reported.

After meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told reporters here that Chinese-Philippine relations had improved and that both sides hope to "work together to make up for the time that we might have lost".

The two leaders witnessed signing of co-operation agreements on infrastructure financing, bridge construction, bond issuance, drug rehabilitation, climate change, intellectual property protection and industrial capacity cooperation. They also announced the start of work for two river bridges in Manila and two drug rehabilitation centres in Mindanao.  www.webershandwick.cn (ATI).