MANILA, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos on Thursday said he was ready to work with China to manage differences and enhance cooperation.
He made the remarks when meeting China's newly appointed ambassador to the Philippines, Jing Quan, during a presentation of credentials ceremony at Malacanan, the presidential palace.
"I look forward to working with you in managing the differences and intensifying the cooperation between our two countries. Our differences should be the exception in our ties rather than the norm," Marcos said.
Marcos said China remains one of the Philippines' most important friends and partners, noting that he is confident both sides will find "many opportunities for us to make the relationship between our two countries stronger, deeper and more important as the years go by."
Ambassador Jing, who arrived in Manila on Dec. 6 to assume his post, said a sound and stable China-Philippines relationship is vital for the common development of the two countries and a boon for the prosperity and progress in the region.
He said China hopes the Philippines will, for the benefit of its fundamental and long-term interests, work with China in the same direction, adhere to the right strategic course for China-Philippines relations, and bring the relationship back onto the track of sound and steady development at an early date. ■