Top Chinese and Philippine legislators have promised to make joint efforts to push the strategic cooperative relationship between their two countries to a new height in the new year.

The pledge was made in Manila on Thursday at a meeting between Jose de Venecia, speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives, and He Luli, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC).

He Luli, who is also chairperson of the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament, told de Venecia that China has been committed to enhancing friendly cooperation of mutual benefit with the Philippines.

She hoped that the two nations will work together to make constant progress in their strategic cooperative relations in the new year.

She said that recent years have seen frequent exchanges of high-level visits between China and the Philippines, and significant progress in bilateral cooperation in various fields such as politics, economy and culture.

She expressed her appreciation of the adherence to the one-China policy by the Philippine government and parliament.

He Luli reiterated that the Chinese government will continue to observe its diplomatic policy of building a good-neighborly relationship and partnership with its neighbors, and follow a road of peaceful development.

For his part, de Venecia said that with China's status rising steadily on the international arena, Philippine-China relations are getting closer continuously, and more Philippine officials turn their eyes to China and want to know more about the country.

He Luli, who arrived in Manila Wednesday on a four-day visit, also met with Philippine Senate President Manuel Villar Thursday.

(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2008)