The Chinese government on Monday formally hand over some heavy equipment worth at least 1.5 million U.S. dollars to the Philippines to upgrade it's military's civil construction capability.

The equipment, composed of six bulldozers and six graders, were handed over by Li Jinjun, Chinese ambassador to the Philippines to defense secretary Avelino Cruz at the headquarters of the Army's 51st Engineering Brigade in Quezon City.

Li said China and the Philippines are facing a similar task for economic development. He expressed wishes that the two countries would be able to "make greater contributions to safeguarding and promoting peace and prosperity in the region and the world at large."

The equipment is part of the multi-million U.S. dollar grant pledged by the Chinese defense ministry to Cruz during the latter's visit to China in November 2004.

Source: Xinhua