PHILIPPINE President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Saturday called for stronger trade links with China and urged Chinese businessmen to make more investments in her country.

　　In a meeting with Li Peng, chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, who is on an official visit there, Arroyo said trade between the two countries is growing and China is now one of the major trading partners of the Philippines. She appealed to Chinese businessmen to make the Philippines one of their investment destinations.

　　Bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to US$3.5 billion last year, an increase of more than 10 percent over the previous year.

　　Before the meeting, President Arroyo and Li witnessed the signing of four cooperation documents between the two countries, including an agreement under which China will provide a loan of about US$25 million to the Philippines for its expansion project in the southern port city of General Santos. The two sides also signed a memorandum of agreement on China’s assistance in the construction of railways in the main northern Philippine island of Luzon.

　　Li left the Philippines yesterday for Australia, the last leg of his four-nation Asia-Pacific trip.

　　(Xinhua)