House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will spearhead today the first-ever two-day Boao Forum for Asia in Manila.
Arroyo, who extended the invitation to hold the conference in the Philippines, is a member of the BFA Board.
The event, with the theme "Concerted Action for Common Development in the New Era," shall bring together some of the country's business leaders and their Chinese counterparts to explore the possibility of investing in both the Philippines and China.
It also aims to foster closer ties and create goodwill between the two countries, building on the momentum for cooperation created by
President Rodrigo Duterte and President Xi Jinping during the latter's state visit in Manila in November.
President Duterte and forum secretary-general Li Badong will deliver the keynote speeches to open the conference, which is expected to convene at least 300 participants
The BFA is currently being chaired by former UN secretary-general Ban Ki Moon of South Korea.