China Welcomes Appointment Of New Philippine Ambassador

BEIJING (China), May 29 (Bernama) -- China has welcomed the appointment of Sonia Brady as the new Philippine ambassador to take up the position which has remained vacant since February last year. "We welcome the Philippine government to send the ambassador to Beijing as soon as possible, and we believe it will help strengthen communications between both sides through diplomatic channels," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said at a regular press briefing. Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III had nominated Brady as the new ambassador to China, Philippine media reported Sunday. Brady had served as the Philippine ambassador to China from April 2006 to January 2010. The appointment of the new ambassador to China is crucial at a time when tension has been rising between China and the Philippines due to the dispute over the Huangyan Islands. -- BERNAMA