Calmer sea will benefit all

Gradual and practical approach to maritime disputes through cooperation and agreement will ensure regional prosperity

Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III completed a state visit to China last week. It was a milestone visit in the development of China-Philippines bilateral relations, and the joint statement issued by both sides projected a bright future for the stable development of the strategic cooperative relationship in the long term.

The two countries agreed a five-year (2012-2016) development program for trade and economic cooperation that will serve as the roadmap for further progress, with the target of enlarging bilateral trade to $60 billion by 2016.