Source: Public Relations and Information Department

OTHER NEWS «

JDV, Wu forge cooperation in fight vs. corruption, drugs & terrorism
19 October 2004 02:29:00 PM
Writer: Noel Albano / Diony Tubianosa, PRID

Speaker Jose de Venecia and senior Chinese leader Wu Guanzheng Monday night agreed on a stronger party-to-party cooperation in efforts to fight official corruption, narcotic syndicates and terrorism.

During bilateral talks at the Manila Hotel highlighting, the visitor’s four-day visit to Manila, de Venecia praised China’s success in curbing official corruption leading to the transformation of more than 400 million Chinese from poverty—the biggest such transformation in history.

“Economic development is not possible if corruption permeates the government,” de Venecia said.

De Venecia later decorated Wu, a standing member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China, with the Congressional Medal of Achievement—the highest award from the House of Representatives—for his efforts to fight official corruption that helped propel China’s dramatic economic transformation.

The Speaker, the Lakas CMD national president, led a team of Lakas and House leaders in bilateral talks with Wu and his delegation centered on strengthening party efforts to fight terrorism, corruption and the drug syndicates whom he branded as “responsible for the corruption of public officials and police forces.”

The drug cartels have debased Asia’s youths and have become the “common enemy” of China and the Philippines, de Venecia said.

As Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Wu has helped ensure for the government of the People’s Republic of China the high standards of moral leadership, integrity and service, according to the Congressional citation given to Wu. China’s success in fighting corruption could be model for other countries in the region and the world engaged in similar campaigns, de Venecia said.

During the 70-minute bilateral talks, Wu expressed admiration for de Venecia’s “vision and far-sighted leadership” and said he supported the Speaker’s vision of an Asian Parliamentary Assembly as part of the strategy for regional economic and political integration in the next two decades.

Integration and cooperation among nations should always be based on respect for independence and non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs, the Chinese leader said.

“We are deeply impressed by your statesmanship,” Wu told de Venecia. “You have made important contributions in strengthening party relations and State relations.”

Wu said the Chinese government has attached enormous importance to the two countries bilateral relations. He described last month’s state visit by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to Beijing, and Speaker de Venecia’s attendance at the ICAPP Conference as “enormous successes” that elevated party and state relations to new levels.

He said de Venecia’s closing speech at the Third International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) hosted by the Communist Party of China in Beijing last month “was enormously well received” by the Chinese people.

De Venecia reiterated during the bilateral talks the major points he raised at the Beijing Conference, including the country’s adherence to the One-China policy and the need to have a strategy to fight poverty such as expanded debt relief for debt-saddled countries.

De Venecia was joined by Majority Leader Prospero Nograles Jr., Deputy Majority Leader Arthur Defensor, Reps. Jaime Lopez, Exequiel Javier, Lorna Silverio, Junie Cua, Eduardo Firmalo, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Secretary Gabby Claudio, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernado, and Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte.