The agreement would provide 300,000 Filipino workers with legal employment status. "Relations between the Philippines and China is very good, and I expect the agreement to be signed by the end of the year,"  said William.

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The special envoy, appointed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to deal with Beijing on a range of key economic and trade issues. estimated that "around 200,000" Filipinos are currently in China mostly serving as domestic workers.