Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian expressed gratitude to the Philippine Coast Guard for helping a distressed Chinese fishing vessel off the waters of Eastern Samar on Friday.

"Early this morning I received an urgent message from Commandant ( Artemio) Abu of PCG, informing me that PCG rescued a distressed Chinese vessel at vicinity in Eastern Samar and was towing it to the port of Tacloban. Glad to know the seven Chinese fishermen on board are in good physical condition," he said.

"Our sincere gratitude and deep appreciation to Commandant Abu and PCG for their immediate response and humanitarian efforts to help the Chinese fishing vessel and seven Chinese fishermen on board," he added.

The Chinese ambassador also mentioned he learned from local media that a Filipino fisherman from Davao Oriental was also rescued by a Chinese vessel in the east Philippine Sea earlier this week.

He noted that "these moves are in line with and concrete implementation of the important consensus reached by our two Presidents on strengthening communication and improving dialogue mechanisms between our two Coast Guards, properly managing maritime differences through dialogue and consultation while expanding practical cooperation on the sea."

"These stories are also good testament to the millennium friendship and bayanihan spirit between the Chinese and Filipino peoples," he added. Robina Asido/DMS