Interviewed during a roundtable discussion at Malacañang yesterday, the President said that all of the agreements she is supposed to sign in various cities and provinces of China would have to be done in Boao, Hainan province this Saturday.
Mrs. Arroyo is the main speaker in the annual Boao Forum for Asia to be held April 20 to 22.
Initially, the President was supposed to stay for around five days in China to attend the Boao Forum and to visit four other cities/provinces.
After speaking at the Boao Forum, the President was supposed to visit Chengdou, Chongqing, Shanghai and Shenzen.
Trade Secretary Peter Favila earlier disclosed that the trip would result in the signing of at least $2 billion in investments by China in the Philippines.
Mrs. Arroyo said that her trip would now be just for April 20 to 21.
With the flight to China estimated to be around four hours, the President would be arriving in China on Friday evening and then leave the following day after her speech and meetings.
"So all the agreements that may have to be signed in other areas, because I was supposed to visit five cities, if it would be all right to the signatories (of the agreements), we could just do this in Boao," the President said.
In any case, Mrs. Arroyo noted that negotiations between the two sides are always accelerated whenever there is a visit by the Chief of State.
Favila said that the Philippine government officials and their Chinese counterparts are reviewing which of the agreements would be signed by the President this Saturday.
He said that Mrs. Arroyo wants to have more hard investments from China this time around instead of just official development assistance for projects as in the past.