11月12日，在访问菲律宾前夕，中国国务院总理李克强在菲律宾英文媒体《马尼拉时报》（Manila Times）和《菲律宾星报》（The Philippine Star）发表名为《传承友谊，深化合作，共同谱写中菲关系的新篇章》的署名文章。文章全文如下：

传承友谊，深化合作
共同谱写中菲关系的新篇章
中华人民共和国国务院总理 李克强

我很高兴应杜特尔特总统的邀请，对菲律宾进行正式访问，并出席在这里举行的东亚合作领导人系列会议。这是我作为中国国务院总理首次踏上菲律宾这片热情好客的热土。菲律宾历史文化悠久，社会充满活力，人民乐观向上，这些都深深地吸引着我。

在此，我愿向菲律宾人民致以诚挚问候和良好祝愿，期待通过此访增进中菲人民友好，深化双方合作，开启两国关系新征程。

中菲隔海相望。两国人民自古相亲相近，友好交往源远流长。双方最早的往来可追溯至唐宋时期。不少赴菲律宾做生意的中国人，在乘船出发时都会装上几块大石头压舱，满载返航时则将这些压舱石留在菲律宾。日久天长，这些“中国的石头”被当地人用来建造房屋、铺设道路，成为两国友好交往的宝贵历史印记。中国明代航海家郑和曾七下西洋，多次到访菲律宾的马尼拉海湾及维萨亚、苏禄等地，在两国民众中播下了友谊与合作的种子。前不久在马尼拉举办的“在菲律宾发现的宋元福建陶瓷展”也从一个层面表明了两国之间上千年的友好往来。

很多菲律宾人的祖先来自中国福建。菲律宾“国父”、民族英雄黎刹的祖先就来自福建晋江市。中国著名抗日将领叶飞出生于菲律宾奎松省，母亲是菲律宾人。福建话及卤面、烧包、米粉、面线等饮食风俗早已融入菲律宾文化，春节更成为菲律宾民众共度的盛大节日。中国的妈祖文化随着华人华侨在菲律宾逐步落地生根，丰富了菲律宾的多元文化。中菲之间这些美好的历史记忆成为两国人民共同的宝贵精神财富和情感纽带。

中菲之间也流传着不少守望相助的感人事迹和佳话。2008年中国四川汶川发生特大地震后，菲律宾政府和人民第一时间伸出援手，时任总统阿罗约访华期间专程赴四川看望灾民。2009年菲律宾上好佳集团邀请100名汶川灾区高中生赴菲疗养一周，体现了对中国人民的深情厚谊。在菲律宾发生“海燕”风灾、“海马”风灾、苏里高地震时，中方均及时向菲方提供无私援助。

可以说，在上千年的交往历史中，平等相待、互帮互助、患难与共一直是我们两国关系的主流。

诚然，两国在一些问题上也有不同看法。前些年，中菲关系因南海问题经历过一段波折，走过一些弯路。“智者求同，愚者求异”。杜特尔特总统上任后，作出改善与发展对华关系的正确决断，双方重回通过对话协商妥善处理南海问题的正确轨道，消除了过去几年制约两国关系发展的主要障碍。去年10月杜特尔特总统成功访华，两国领导人实现历史性会晤，中菲关系雨过天晴、全面转圜。今年5月，习近平主席同赴华出席“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛的杜特尔特总统达成巩固和深化两国关系的重要共识，为中菲关系进一步指明了前进方向，注入了强劲动力。

我想说，相比上千年的友好交往史，两国的一些分歧只是短暂的插曲，不会影响双方发展睦邻友好关系的决心，也不会动摇我们作为好邻居、好朋友和好兄弟的坚实基础。

中菲关系历经风雨，又见彩虹，目前呈现全面向好的积极态势。两国高层交往和各层级、各领域交流日益密切，睦邻友好与互尊互信的共识不断增强，务实合作全面展开并取得丰硕成果，人文交流蓬勃发展。去年10月中菲关系转圜以来，双方已签署20余项政府及部门间各领域合作文件，确定了一批基础设施优先合作项目，这些项目正在加速推进并已取得重要进展。今年头10个月，中国已成为菲最大贸易伙伴，菲对华出口大幅增加。从去年10月到今年6月底，中方累计进口菲热带水果多达42万吨，总值2亿多美元，来自菲的香蕉、榴莲、鳄梨等水果在中国广受欢迎。两国人员往来也快速增长，今年前5个月中国赴菲游客同比增长36.3%，长滩岛等菲旅游胜地受到越来越多中国游客的青睐。马拉维反恐战事爆发后，中方及时向菲方提供武器装备等援助。马拉维反恐取得最终胜利后的第二天，中方就向菲方移交了工程机械等设备，以实际行动支持和参与马拉维重建。

中菲关系改善与发展顺民意、得民心、惠民生，当前两国友好合作面临着难得的发展机遇和广阔的提升空间。正如菲律宾谚语所说，“抓住今天，才能不丢失明天。”我们愿同菲方继续一道努力，把握机遇，巩固好、发展好两国关系，不断开创中菲友好合作新局面。

——坚持诚信相交，推动中菲关系行稳致远。诚信是为人之本，国与国相交也是如此。中方愿同菲方一道，继续加强高层往来及各领域对话合作，相互尊重、坦诚相待，不断增进理解、巩固互信，全面筑牢战略互信的政治根基。中方愿同菲方继续通过双边友好协商妥善处理海上问题，充分发挥已建立的南海问题双边磋商机制和海警合作机制作用，加强海洋科考、环保、防灾减灾等海上对话合作，积极探讨推动海上共同开发，让南海成为造福两国人民的合作之海、友谊之海。

——坚持合作谋实，确保中菲关系牢靠稳固。菲律宾地理位置得天独厚，既是古代“海上丝绸之路”的重要枢纽，更是21世纪海上丝绸之路的重要节点国家。中方愿与菲方共同续写古代“海上丝绸之路”新篇章，加强在“一带一路”框架下的战略对接和政策沟通，不断深化两国在基础设施、经贸、农业、旅游等各领域合作。中方愿从菲进口更多椰子、榴莲、火龙果等热带水果，加快推进两国基础设施合作项目，助菲实施更多民生项目。中菲在很多领域优势互补，中方愿同菲方积极拓展有利于两国关系发展的务实合作，让两国民众从合作中增强获得感、幸福感。

——坚持民心相通，实现中菲关系恒久如一。“国之交在于民相亲，民相亲在于心相通”。中菲两国地缘相近、人缘相亲、文缘相通，在人文交流方面具有独特优势。中方愿同菲方进一步扩大教育、文化、科技、民间、地方等人文领域交流与合作，不断增进民间友好，让世代友好的种子在两国人民心中生根发芽并茁壮成长。

我此访还有一个目的，就是同各国领导人共商东亚合作大计。今年是东盟成立50周年、东盟与中日韩（10+3）合作启动20周年，明年将迎来中国—东盟建立战略伙伴关系15周年，中国—东盟关系和东亚合作处于承前启后、继往开来的重要阶段。作为亚洲大家庭的一员，中方愿继续秉持亲诚惠容周边外交理念和与邻为善、以邻为伴周边外交方针深化同周边国家关系，将支持东盟加快共同体建设并在东亚合作中发挥主导作用，愿同东盟积极打造理念共通、繁荣共享、责任共担的命运共同体，同各国一道推进开放、包容、普惠、均衡、可持续的区域合作进程。

不久前，中国共产党第十九次全国代表大会胜利召开，开启了中国全面建设社会主义现代化国家的新征程。我们将始终不渝走和平发展道路、奉行互利共赢的开放战略，谋求开放创新、包容互惠的发展前景，推动构建人类命运共同体。毫无疑问，一个和平发展、开放包容、合作进步的中国，对菲律宾、对亚洲、对世界都将是一个重要机遇。中方愿同各国一道，变机遇为动力，化动力为成果，推进实现共同发展与普遍繁荣。

展望未来，我们对中菲两国关系的美好前景充满信心。中国人民愿同菲律宾人民永做亲诚相待的好朋友、守望相助的好邻居、携手前行的好伙伴、世代友好的好兄弟，共同谱写两国关系的新篇章！

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Published A Signed Article in the Philippines' Newspaper

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang published a signed article in the Philippines’ newspaper Manila Times and The Philippine Star on Saturday under the title "Opening a new chapter of China-Philippines relations with renewed friendship and deepened cooperation", ahead of his attendance at the ASEAN Summit and Related Summits and official visit to the Philippines. Following is the full text of the article:

Opening a new chapter of China-Philippines relations
with renewed friendship and deepened cooperation
Li Keqiang
Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China

It is my great pleasure to pay an official visit to the Philippines and attend the East Asia leaders’ meetings at the invitation of President Rodrigo Duterte. This will be my first visit to your hospitable land as the Chinese Premier, yet I have long been drawn to your rich historical and cultural heritage, vibrant society, and your cheerful and hard-working people.

I wish to extend my warm greetings and best regards to the Philippine people and I hope my upcoming visit will help enhance the friendship between our peoples, deepen bilateral cooperation and open new prospects for China-Philippines relations.

Facing each other across the sea, our peoples share a close bond and a long history of friendly association. Our earliest exchanges could be traced to the period of China’s Tang and Song dynasties. In those times, Chinese merchants bound for the Philippines would load their ships with stones as ballasts, which would be left behind as the fully-loaded ships sailed back to China. These stones, known as “Piedra de China” were later used by the local people to build houses and pave roads, becoming a precious historical mark of our friendly interactions. In the 15th century, Admiral Zheng He’s seven voyages to the Western Seas took him to the Manila Bay, Visayas and Sulu many times, sowing the seeds of friendship and cooperation among our peoples. The recent exhibition “Fujian Ware Found in the Philippines: Song-Yuan Period” is a good example of millennium-old friendship and exchange between us.

Many Filipinos trace their ancestry to China’s Fujian Province. The ancestors of Jose Rizal, your founding father and national hero, were from Jinjiang City of Fujian. Ye Fei, a well-known Chinese general in China’s war of resistance against Japanese aggression, was born in Province to a Filipino mother. Fookien, the dialect of Fujian, together with its unique cuisine such as pancit, siopao, bihon and misua, has long been part of the Philippine culture, and the Spring Festival is a major holiday celebrated across the country. The Mazu culture, brought to the Philippines by generations of Chinese, has taken root here and enriched a multi-cultural Philippines. These historical episodes have formed a shared legacy and deep bonds between our peoples.

Touching stories about Chinese and Philippine people coming to each other’s help abound in modern times. When a devastating earthquake hit Sichuan Province in 2008, the Philippine government and people immediately extended a helping hand. The then President Gloria Arroyo traveled to Sichuan to visit those affected. In 2009, the Philippine company Oishi invited 100 high-school students from quake-affected areas to spend a week in the Philippines, a testament to your deep friendship toward the Chinese people. In the same spirit, when typhoons Haiyan and Haima and earthquake in Surigao struck this country, China provided the Philippines with timely, selfless assistance.

Throughout the past one thousand years, equality and mutual help in times of need has been the dominant theme for China-Philippines relations.

Having said that, our two countries do have different views on certain issues and our relations encountered a setback due to the South China Sea issue. As the saying goes, “The wise expand common ground while the unwise aggravate differences”. Since taking office, President Duterte made the right decision to improve and develop relations with China. The two sides returned to the track of appropriately handling the South China Sea issue through dialogue and consultation, thus removing the stumbling block that has held back our bilateral relations for several years. The complete turnaround in our relations came during President Duterte’s successful visit to China in October last year when leaders of our two countries held historic meetings. Important consensus was further reached between President Xi Jinping and President Duterte on solidifying and deepening bilateral relations last May when President Duterte visited China for the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Such common understanding at the top level has charted the course and instilled a strong impetus into our bilateral relations.

This is a point I want to underscore: in the context of our thousand-year friendly interactions, our differences are but brief interludes that will neither weaken our commitment to good neighborliness and friendship nor shake the solid foundation of our relations as good neighbors, good friends and good brothers.

The China-Philippines relationship is now seeing a rainbow after the storm and showing a good momentum across the board. We developed closer high-level exchanges, growing interactions at all levels and in broad areas, and expanding consensus on good-neighborliness, mutual respect and mutual trust. Practical cooperation has advanced on all fronts with fruitful results. Cultural and people-to-people exchange has flourished. Since the turnaround of our relations in October last year, the two sides have signed over 20 cooperation documents at the governmental or departmental levels and identified a number of priority infrastructure projects, which are making important progress. The first 10 months of this year saw China become the Philippines’ biggest trading partner, on the back of a surge in Philippine exports to China. Between October last year and the end of June this year, China imported 420,000 tons of tropical fruits from the Philippines worth over 200 million US dollars. Your bananas, durians and avocados are increasingly popular in China.

People-to-people exchange has boomed. In the first five months of this year, the number of Chinese tourists to the Philippines had a year-on-year increase of 36.3%. The Boracay Island and other scenic spots are hosting a growing number of Chinese tourists.

China also provided timely weaponry assistance in the counter-terrorism campaign in Marawi, and on the second day after the campaign successfully concluded, Chinese engineering machinery were delivered for local reconstruction.

The improvement and growth of the China-Philippines relations enjoys the support of the people and serves their wellbeing. We now face precious opportunities and broad space for furthering our friendship and cooperation. As a Filipino proverb says, seize today, or you will lose tomorrow. We are ready to work with the Philippines to seize these opportunities to take our bilateral relations forward and break new ground in our friendship and cooperation.

— Good faith and sincerity helps ensure steady and sustained growth of China-Philippines relations. It is as critical to inter-personal relations as it is to inter-state relations. China is ready to work with the Philippines to strengthen high-level exchanges, and dialogue and cooperation in all areas. We need to treat each other with respect and sincerity, enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust, and fully solidify the political foundation of strategic mutual trust. China will work with the Philippines to continue to properly handle the maritime issues through friendly bilateral consultation by giving full play to such mechanisms as the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea and the Joint Coast Guard Committee on Maritime Cooperation. We may also strengthen dialogue and cooperation on marine scientific research, marine-environmental conservation, and ocean disaster preparedness, and actively explore joint development, to make the South China Sea a sea of cooperation and friendship for the benefit of the two peoples.

— Results-oriented cooperation helps make the China-Philippines relationship firm and robust. Strategically located, the Philippines is an important hub both on the ancient and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. China will work with the Philippines to enhance strategic and policy synergy through the Belt and Road Initiative, and deepen cooperation in infrastructure, commerce, agriculture and tourism to reinvigorate the ancient Silk Road. China is ready to buy more Filipino coconuts, durians, pitayas and other tropical fruits, expedite our infrastructure cooperation projects, and help the Philippines with more livelihood projects. Given our high complementarity in many areas, China is committed to results-oriented cooperation with the Philippines to strengthen our bilateral relations and instill a greater sense of fulfillment and satisfaction among our peoples.

— Affinity between our peoples contributes to enduring China-Philippines relations. Friendship between the peoples holds the key to sound state-to-state relations, and heart-to-heart communication contributes to deeper friendship. Our geographical proximity and cultural affinity present a unique advantage for people-to-people exchange. China is ready to increase interaction and cooperation with the Philippines on education, culture, science and technology, and at the non-governmental and sub-national levels to bring our peoples even closer and hand our friendship down to succeeding generations.

Another purpose of my visit is to discuss regional cooperation with leaders of other participating countries. This year marks the 50th anniversary of ASEAN and the 20th anniversary of the launch of ASEAN Plus Three cooperation, and next year will be the 15th anniversary of China-ASEAN strategic partnership. China-ASEAN relations and East Asia cooperation have entered a crucial phase of building on past successes to strive for new progress. As a member of the Asian family, China will take forward relations with its neighbors in accordance with the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and the neighborhood policy of building friendship and partnership. We support ASEAN in moving forward community building and exercising its centrality in East Asia cooperation. We will work with ASEAN to build a community of shared future featuring common ideals, common prosperity, and common responsibility, and together with other countries, push for open, inclusive, balanced, and sustainable regional cooperation that benefits all.

Not long ago, the Communist Party of China successfully held its 19th National Congress, which marked the beginning of a new journey in building a modern socialist country. China will remain committed to the path of peaceful development and a win-win strategy of opening-up, pursue open, innovative, inclusive and all-win development, and work toward a community of shared future for mankind. A China that pursues peaceful development, openness, inclusiveness, and progress through cooperation will bring important opportunities for the Philippines, the rest of Asia, and the world. China will work with other countries to convert opportunities into stronger impetus and real results for common development and shared prosperity.

Looking ahead, we are fully confident about the prospects of our relations. The Chinese people want to be the Philippine people’s sincere friend, close neighbor helping each other through difficulties, steadfast partner forging ahead hand in hand, and good brother for generations to come. Let’s work together to open a new chapter for China-Philippines relations.