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news MONDAY I APRIL 1, 2019

GMA, Chinese premier meet in Hainan

BY DELON PORCALLA have been liIted out of poverty in Asi4 especially since the economic
China. and military giant has been at odds
Speaker Gloria Macapagal- "China is on the verge of be- .with several nations, including the
Arroyo met with Chinese Premier coming the largest economy in the PhiJippines, regard i ng overlap-
Li Keqiang and officials of the world." she said- ping claims in the South China Sea.
Boao Forum for Asia during the Arroyo also lauded Beijing's "So what I can say is that Chi-
recently concluded BFA Annual Belt and Road Initiative that aims na's effort in opening up has really
Convention in Hainan, China. to foster cooperation and develop- been a boost for the economies
In her speech, the leader of ment among nations. oI the world, especia)ly the de-
the House of Representatives The meeting was one of the veloping economies. The world
described the BFA discussion as highlights of the BFAAnnual Con- should look at China's Jise as an
"valuable" as it mainly coveled ference 2019. opportunity rather than a threaf"
the direction China is taicing on its Arroyo, a Pam panga congress- Arroyo said.
40th year of reforms and it"s rela- womarL is on her second year as She said China through the
tionship with the rest of the world. BFA board membea which gathers years has proven wrong the nega-
"China has given us the lesson together leaders in gov&nment, tive notions of its policies toward
that there is just not one path for busiress and academic in5titutionb reform and opening up as it has
development because prior to throughout Asia to share their become a pat:tner in development.
China's experience, it w as' thought thoughts on {-6e most pressing is-
"And as it is poised to lead
that the only wa"y to developrnint sues in Lhe region and the world. global economy, it should not
is the Westem style model'of Jef- She noted China's remarkable be treated as a competitor or a
fersonian democrary and coupled growth particularly i4 the past
threat," Arrovo said.
with a free market," Arroyo sAid. two decades is showing the world "The Philippines acua lly has
"China has shown the world that no development model can be been investing in China for'quite
that you can have your owrl model applied universally and that the
some time now because we have
of development using your own diversity of historical conditions a very big Filipino-Chinese com-
historical experience, especially determines Lhe development paLhs munify, so I'm sure lhey can invesl
China in the last 40 vear!. Si.,." that countries could choose. further in China. At the same time,
the opening of Chiia 40 years China is also now investing more
ago, it has transformed itself, it Ghina is partnel and more in the Philippines," she
is lyorld's leading growth,
Lhe The former president also tried added.
unmatched in history" to correct misimpressions that "So this must be a win-win so-
Arroyo said 400 million people Beijing is a threat to the region in Iution for the developing world."

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