Ambassador Erlinda Basilio presented her credentials to President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China in the afternoon of 22 April 2013. She was accompanied by Deputy Chief of Mission Antonio Morales and other members of the Philippine Embassy in Beijing.

Upon her arrival at the Great Hall of the People, Ambassador Basilio and other Embassy officials were met by an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and were led to President Xi Jinping who accepted her Letter of Credence and the Letter of Recall of her predecessor.

During her conversation with President Xi, Ambassador Basilio conveyed President Aquino’s message of friendship and desire to restore bilateral relations to their previous excellent state, and move them forward to even greater heights. She reiterated the government’s standing invitation for the Chinese leader to undertake a State Visit to the Philippines and expressed the hope that under the leadership of President Xi, the Philippines and China can establish a new golden age for economic relations.

Ambassador Basilio also conveyed, on behalf of President Aquino and the Filipino people, deep condolences to the victims of the devastating earthquake in Lushan and other counties in Sichuan Province.

President Xi warmly welcomed Ambassador Basilio to China and expressed his thanks for the message of condolence and sympathy to the victims of the Lushan earthquake. He stated that the Chinese government and people are doing all they can to ensure a quick recovery of the earthquake-hit province. He expressed the hope that in her work as Philippine Ambassador to China, both sides would make every effort to move the bilateral relationship forward. He said that both countries are traditional partners and must work together for the healthy development of relations. He then asked Ambassador Basilio to send his best wishes to President Aquino.

After her presentation of credentials, Ambassador Basilio hosted a dinner for several officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) at the Philippine Embassy in Beijing.