GMA Starts China State Visit Today; 3-Day Trip to Focus on Agricultural Cooperation, Trade & Investment

Beginning of article

Byline: FERDIE J. MAGLALANG

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo embarks today on a threeday state visit to the Peoples Republic of China to discuss important bilateral concerns, such as agricultural cooperation, energy, transportation and trade and investment.

In her first state visit since she secured a fresh electoral mandate, the President and her party will leave at 6 a.m. on board Philippine Air Lines (PAL) Flight A330, at the Villamor Air Base, Presidential Airlift Wing, in Pasay City.

On her fourth visit to China, Mrs. Arroyo will be accompanied by First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo, a lean delegation of selected Cabinet officials and some Congress leaders House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Ambassador to China Willi C. Gaa, Secretary of Trade and Industry Cesar V. Purisima, Secretary of Agriculture Arthur Yap, Secretary of Energy Vicente Perez Jr., Chairman Roberto Pagdanganan of the Philippine International Trading Corp., Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, Reps. Juan Miguel Zubiri, …