President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s high-level meeting with National Congress of the People’s Republic of China chairman Li Zhanshu “was a very positive engagement,” House Speaker Martin Romualdez said on Wednesday, hoping it would result in more engagements and exchanges between the legislative bodies of China and the Philippines.

Romualdez said in an interview that Li encouraged both sides to have high-level exchanges, believing that the relationship should be deepened and strengthened through the legislative bodies.

“So that’s why we will look forward to the invitations that have actually been extended in the previous years but due to COVID, it did not materialize,” Romualdez said.

“But now that China is opening up this year, we look forward to seeing these engagements and these exchanges between the Congress of China and the Congress and Senate of the Philippines come to fruition in the year 2023,” Speaker Romualdez said.

It will be helpful, the House Speaker said, in harmonizing and resolving any differences and deepening the relations between both countries.

President Marcos met Li in a bid to strengthen the relationship between Manila and Beijing, particularly as the world transitions to the new normal following the coronavirus pandemic.

The President hopes China will continue to invest in the Philippines, noting that although there are some disagreements, the two countries must not allow them to be “the sum” of their relationship.

President Marcos wants the Philippine-China relationship to extend to commerce, culture, education, trade and investment, as well as people-to-people exchanges. #