The Chinese capital city of Beijing and the Philippine capital city of Manila Monday signed an agreement to establish friendly relations between the two cities.

Visiting Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan and Manila Mayor Lito Atienza signed the agreement which calls for more exchanges and cooperation between the two cities in the fields of economy, culture, education, city construction, sports and health and sanitation.

Wang said at the signing ceremony that he was deeply impressed by the warm reception given to him by the outstanding people of Manila. He also praised Mayor Atienza for his distinguished leadership of the city.

Wang said Beijing and Manila share many common features and both of them are making achievements in the their economic and social development. He expressed his confidence that the two cities will further strengthen their relations through more exchanges and bilateral visits of personnel.

The Beijing mayor, whose city will host the 2008 Olympics, also expressed his wish that someday Manila can play host to the Olympic Games as the city is fully capable of doing so with its good people and good municipal government.

Atienza said that when he visited Beijing two years ago, he wasdeeply impressed by the city construction and economic and social development of Beijing. He said he has from then on regarded Beijing as an example of development for Manila.

Atienza also thanked Wang for choosing Manila as the first foreign city to visit this year.

The two mayors also congratulated the opening of Beijing-Manila direct flights by the Philippine Airlines.

(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2005)