AFP to get $1.2-M worth of equipment from China

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is set to receive today some $1.2 million (about P60 million) worth of equipment from the Chinese government.

Gen. Xiong Guangkai, second in command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China, and Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz Jr. will sign the agreement covering China’s donation of engineering equipment to the AFP.

Xiong, other delegates from China and their local counterparts will also hold the first Philippines-China Annual Dialogue on Defense and Security.

Before signing the donation agreement, Xiong will be given full military honors at the AFP’s general headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City as he visits the Department of National Defense (DND).

A joint press conference of DND and PLA officials on the RP-China Dialogue on Defense and Security will be held at the DND Social Hall at 1 p.m., AFP Office for Public Affairs chief Ros Manlangit said.

Xiong arrived in Manila yesterday and will be here until May 25 as a reciprocal visit following President Arroyo’s state visit to China last year.

Manlangit said Cruz followed up on the November 2004 proposal for the establishment of a mutual defense and cooperation framework with China.

"It is during today’s meeting (that) leaders of both countries’ defense unit will sign a term of reference for the holding of mutual defense cooperation," Manlangit said. AFP Civil Relations Service chief Brig. Gen. Jose Angel Honrado said the delegates will discuss the defense relationship of the two countries in Asia.

Honrado said he was unsure whether Cruz and Xiong would discuss the thorny issue of the Spratly Islands.

Both the Philippines and China are among the nations claiming the oil and natural gas rich Spratlys, in whole or in part, which are located in the South China Sea.