Philippines Immigration Focus on Philippine Immigration Economy: Philippine President Benigno Aquino III stated on the 27th that the country has officially invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting to be held in Manila on November 18th and 19th. President Aquino III expressed his willingness to hold bilateral talks with President Xi during the APEC summit, noting, "Currently, there are no plans for bilateral talks, but we are very open to the possibility."
According to a report by The Philippine Star, at a press conference that day, President Aquino III also stated that the Philippines and China should continue to improve economic and trade relations, despite the territorial disputes between the two sides. He remarked, "Clearly, it is in the interest of both sides to manage our conflicts and return to a focus that is mutually beneficial." However, President Aquino III noted that the Philippines has not yet received confirmation on who will be attending.
At a press conference held in Beijing on the 27th, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs was asked whether President Xi Jinping would attend the APEC summit in the Philippines in mid-November. The spokesperson stated that China has received the invitation from Philippine President Aquino for this year's APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting. APEC is the highest-level and most influential economic and trade forum in the Asia-Pacific region. China attaches great importance to and consistently supports APEC cooperation, including the preparations for this year's APEC meetings, and hopes that this year's APEC meetings will adhere to the principle of focusing on economic and trade cooperation and make new contributions to strengthening regional economic cooperation. The spokesperson added, "I believe that President Xi Jinping will give positive consideration to President Aquino's invitation."
The Philippine side is eager to promote talks between the leaders of the Philippines and China and has been releasing various signals from time to time. The Philippine news website Rappler reported on the 27th that President Aquino III mentioned that he had an informal conversation with President Xi during the APEC summit held in Beijing last year, and Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario previously indicated that a second meeting between the two sides in Manila is possible.
The Philippines has now entered its presidential election season, but preparations for the APEC summit are proceeding intensively, including restricting trucks, adjusting flight schedules, and police advising potential protesters to "respect foreign guests."