On December 2, 2008, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met in Hong Kong respectively with Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Singapore’s Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

During his meeting with Arroyo, Yang hailed the smooth development of the Sino-Philippine relations, noting that the Philippines is an important member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Chinese government attaches great importance to the development of relations between the two countries. Yang said China is willing to make concerted efforts with the Philippines to promote high-level exchanges, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, withstand the international financial risks and maintain the regional prosperity and stability by pushing forward the regional financial cooperation under the current situation.

Yang thanked President Arroyo for her invitation to 100 children from earthquake-devastated Sichuan Province in southwest China to visit the Philippines next year, saying such a move by the Philippines will be beneficial to building up the friendship between the Chinese and Philippine people.

On her part, President Arroyo spoke highly of the Philippine-Chinese relations, saying the cooperation between the two countries was mutually beneficial and the Philippine people are benefiting from such cooperation. Arroyo said that her country hoped to promote exchanges and cooperation with China in all fields.

During his talks with Lee, Yang said China and Singapore had maintained close contact and the bilateral relations between the two countries had developed rapidly in recent years with satisfying results, such as the development of the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park and the good beginning of Sino-Singaporean Tianjin Eco-City. Yang said China is willing to work together with Singapore to promote the relations between the two countries to a new height. Echoing Yang's views, Lee said he hoped Singapore and China would continue developing their bilateral relations.

After exchanging views on the ongoing international financial crisis, regional cooperation in East Asia and other issues of common concern, both sides agreed that under the current situation, China and Singapore should further enhance coordinated cooperation, work together to maintain financial stability in the region, promote economic growth and achieve new progress in advancing regional cooperation.