The Philippines and China signed on Thursday six agreements on various fields, including loan for a railway project.

President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping witnessed the signing of the deals at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in China where Duterte is undertaking a four-day official visit.

The agreements that were inked include the memorandum of understanding on Higher Education Cooperation between the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) of the Philippines and Ministry of Education of China;

An MOU on Science and Technology Cooperation between the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) of the Philippines and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China;

Cooperative Arrangement between the Bureau of Customs (BoC) of the Department of Finance (DOF) of the Philippines and the General Administration of Customs of China on the Implementation of the Intergovernmental Agreement Regarding Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters;

Implementation Contract on Project of China-Aid Container Inspection Equipment between the BOC and the Ministry of Commerce;

Exchange of Notes on Cooperation Procedure for the Availment and Utilization of Concessional Loan under a Renminbi-denominated Loan Facility between the DOF and China International Development Cooperation Agency; and

Preferential Buyer’s Credit Loan Agreement of Project Management Consultancy of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) South Long Haul Project between the DOF and the Export-Import Bank of China.

In his opening remarks at the bilateral meeting with Xi, Duterte acknowledged the challenges on the relationship of the two countries.

"Yet we are living up to our commitment to define our ties as a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation (partners)," he said.

The Philippines and China are engaged in a territorial dispute in the South China Sea. Celerina Monte/DMS