Chinese President Jiang Zemin has extended congratulations to the Philippine government and people on the 104th anniversary of the Southeast Asian country's independence which falls on Wednesday.

In a message to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Jiang wished the country "ever growing prosperity" and well-being for its people. He believed that under the capable leadership of President Arroyo, the people of the Philippines would make further progress in nation-building on top of the "remarkable success" they achieved in maintaining social stability and promoting economic development.

Jiang called for joint efforts to enhance mutual trust and push forward bilateral cooperative relations.

He said that over the past 27 years, since China and the Philippines established diplomatic ties, bilateral relations have enjoyed a smooth development benefiting peoples of the two countries, in addition to regional stability and prosperity.

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan also sent a congratulatory message to his Philippines counterpart, Teofisto T.Guingona, on the occasion.

He said it was China's set policy to promote bilateral cooperative and good-neighborly relations and urged vigorous implementation of a wide range of plans stemming from the Joint Statement on the Framework of Bilateral Cooperation in the Twenty-First Century.

(Xinhua News Agency June 12, 2002)