BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature reviewed a bilateral consular agreement with the Philippines Wednesday.
The agreement was submitted by the State Council, or Cabinet, for deliberation at a bimonthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC)Standing Committee that started Wednesday.
The agreement was signed by Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and the Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo in Manila on Oct. 29, 2009.
The 51-item agreement covers definitions of consular terms, establishment of consulates and appointment of consular members, among other things.
A statement of the State Council says the treaty is in line with China's legal principles and international convention.
"The approval of the treaty will help strengthen the bilateral cooperation in consular affairs between China and the Philippines and promote bilateral strategic and cooperative relations, which is in line with China's interests and needs," it says.
Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao told lawmakers that about 160,000 Chinese visited the Philippines in 2008, and 790,000 people from the Philippines visited China that year.