MANILA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Manila on Friday recognized the contributions of 10 Filipinos in "building the bridge of understanding and friendship" between China and the Philippines.

China's Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said the Award for Promoting Philippines-China Understanding (APPCU) aims to recognize Filipinos that promote mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries. These individuals "encourage our two peoples to enhance mutual trust, scale down differences, boost affinity, and prompt collaboration," he added.

The 10 awardees for the first APPCU included former First Lady Imelda Marcos and former special envoy for trade and investments Francis Chua, among others in various sectors such as education, media, culture, social activities, and public services.

"To increase mutual understanding, we should open hearts to each other. We need to raise awareness, reduce misinterpretation, manage differences, and promote bridges of understanding and cooperation," Huang said in a speech at the ceremony.

He said China and the Philippines have great potential for cooperation in people-to-people and socio-cultural exchanges.

"As the progress and development of our two countries are closely intertwined and the people-to-people bonds reach renewed heights," the APPCU endeavors to inject additional dynamism into building a more comprehensive China-Philippines partnership in the new era, said the ambassador.

The APPCU was inaugurated in January this year by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Enditem