Estrada's China trip to push through - Puno

President Estrada's scheduled visit to China this month will push through in spite of the ongoing crisis in Mindanao.

Press Secretary Ricardo Puno said this yesterday, and also, that the President's trip to Beijing has already been confirmed.

"At the moment, there is no plan to discontinue or defer the China trip. Commitments have long been made," he said.

The President is expected to meet with Chinese authorities during his May 16-20 state visit to China on the long-standing conflict in the Spratly group of islands in the South China Sea.

The island group is being claimed in whole by China and in part by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The President will first go to Beijing and proceed to Xiamen in Fujian province and then to Shanghai to visit manufacturing plants set up by Filipino-Chinese businessmen.

To date, at least 120 business leaders, including taipan Lucio Tan, have registered for the President's China trip. They will be led by Antonio Lopa, head of the Philippines Inc., a group of Filipino traders.

Philippine Ambassador to China Romualdo Ong said that part of the President's trip would be a visit to the ShoeMart mall set up by Filipino business tycoon Henry Sy in Jin Jiang, Fujian.

Ong said that while in Beijing, Mr. Estrada would meet with Chinese President Jiang Zemin and witness the signing of the general framework of Philippine-China relations for the 21st century.

The ambassador added that several bilateral agreements will also be signed during the President's state visit.

The Philippines and China are marking this year the 25th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties.