Hanoi (VNA) - China and the Philippines signed on March 15 agreements in which Chinese companies commit to buy 1.7 billion USD worth of fruits and other agricultural products from the Philippines.

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippine Zhao Jianhua said the agreements are an effort to balance the trade between the two countries, adding that the signing of the deals was an "advanced result" of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's state visit to China in October last year.

The agreements will be the first of many as China also seeks to import more non-food goods such as chemicals and related products.

China has increased its fruit imports such as mangoes and pineapples from the Philippines after Duterte's visit to Beijing.

During the last five months, statistics showed that the bilateral trade has reached 100 million USD.-VNA
VNA