Binay thanks Chinese envoy for typhoon aid

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay thanked outgoing Ambassador Ma Keqing for China’s humanitarian assistance for the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda.

Ma paid a farewell visit to Binay at his office on Monday.

“I would like to express our deepest gratitude for the Chinese government’s donation of $100,000 cash to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and 10 million renminbi worth of blankets and tents, apart from deploying relief and rescue volunteers and doctors and the hospital ship Peace Ark to carry out regular medical and surgical procedures,” Binay said.

Ma, who assumed her post as ambassador to the Philippines on Jan. 15, 2012, is ending her tour of duty at the end of the year.

Binay said the Chinese ambassador tried her best to promote and maintain good bilateral relations between the Philippines and China.

“We do have challenges but we do not believe that those challenges should in any way hamper the further development of our bilateral relationship,” he said.

He said both the Philippines and China are working hard to ensure that people-to-people exchanges and trade and economic relations will continue to flourish, notwithstanding the dispute in the West Philippine Sea.

He said the two countries could not set aside its long-time relations.