Tackling tough economic times was top of the agenda when more than 3,000 Chinese businessmen, including 1,000 from China, gathered at the 10th World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention, which started here Friday.

With a theme of "World Prosperity through Chinese Entrepreneurship", this year's conference, which brings together businessmen of Chinese origin from around the globe, focused on cooperation to weather the ongoing financial crisis and to explore ways for sustainable growth in the private sector.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and visiting top Chinese political adviser Jia Qinglin attended the opening ceremony.

Addressing the conference, Arroyo said Chinese entrepreneurs had played an important role in cushioning the impacts of global financial crisis and helped bring the world out of recession.

The Philippines and other economies with big Chinese communities weathered the crisis with greater resilience, she said.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), spoke highly of the contributions overseas Chinese had made in helping China achieve economic prosperity.

"China's remarkable achievements in economic and social development would not have been possible without the outstanding contribution of tens of millions of overseas Chinese," he said.

China's development would make more contribution and bring more opportunities to the world, and provide an even broader platform to overseas Chinese, including overseas Chinese entrepreneurs, he added.

In this case, Jia expressed four wishes for the overseas Chinese entrepreneurs:

-- To integrate into the local society and contribute to economic and social development of the host countries;

-- To carry on the tradition of loving motherland and hometown and actively engage in China's modernization drive;

To promote exchanges across the Taiwan Straits and advance the great cause of peaceful reunification of China;

-- And, to bring into full play the overseas Chinese' role as a bridge in deepening mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and people around the world.

Since its creation in 1991, the World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention has served as a leading forum for Chinese businessmen around the world.

Participants in this year's convention will exchange views on reform of the international banking and financial sectors, cooperation between government and non-governmental sectors in promoting development of Chinese businesses and prospects for Chinese businesses in manufacturing and service industries.

Jia praised the convention's significant role in promoting economic growth in countries where it was held and in enhancing the international standing of overseas Chinese communities.

Likewise, Vice Chairman of this year's convention Alfonso Uy said in a speech that the interaction and cooperation between Chinese was particularly important as impacts of the crisis were lingering in the world economy.

It "will serve as the platform to deepen exchanges, grasp the pulse of the world's trend, and put our hands together, to overcome the challenges," said Uy, who heads the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc.

Robin Chan Yau Hing, chairman of Asia Financial Holdings Ltd., said the global economy was undergoing drastic changes and cooperation would be the only path of progress for Chinese entrepreneurs.

Regarding China-Philippines relations, Jia lauded the long and profound friendship between the two countries.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975, bilateral relations had made a lot of headway, with markedly enhanced mutual political trust, notable achievements in cooperation in various fields and more regular high-level visits, Jia said.

In April 2005, the bilateral relationship entered a new stage when the two sides agreed to establish a strategic and cooperative relationship for peace and development during a visit by President Hu Jintao, he added.

The Philippines president agreed with Jia and said she hoped the convention could further enhance the Philippines-China relationship.