Phl affirms commitment to renew ties with Hong Kong

MANILA, Philippines - Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario has affirmed the Philippine government’s commitment to renew its relations with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The DFA said yesterday that Del Rosario updated Hong Kong SAR Financial Secretary John Tsang on the efforts undertaken by the Philippines since the hostage-taking incident at the Luneta in August 2010 that claimed the lives of eight Hong Kong tourists.

Del Rosario and Tsang met on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Vladivostok last weekend.

“It was a fruitful discussion and both sides acknowledged the importance of the long standing friendship and cooperation between the Philippines and Hong Kong SAR,” said DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez.

China had strongly condemned the brutality of dismissed policeman Rolando Mendoza who hijacked a bus of Hong Kong tourists at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta in 2010.

Beijing asked the Philippine government to take concrete measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens in the country.

The Philippines expected a lifting of the black travel alert after Hong Kong gave assurance that it would not maintain the travel advisory on the country longer than necessary.