Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will leave here Friday night for China to address the 15th Boao Forum for Asia, said Philippine presidential palace.

Arroyo will be one of the keynote speakers in the forum's formal opening Saturday.

Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said in a statement Arroyo will bring to the forum "her expertise and strong grasp of regional and geo-political matters in her capacity as President and as Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). "

Bunye said Arroyo is due to arrive at Haikou International Airport of Hainan Province of China early Saturday morning onboard a chartered Philippine Airlines flight from Manila.

Source: Xinhua