MANILA, 22 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Philippines and China have agreed to open “additional lines of communication” to immediately resolve disputes between the two countries over the West Philippine Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. has said.
“We are currently working on it, we are waiting for China’s response and we are confident that these issues will be resolved and will be of mutual benefit to our two nations,” Marcos said in a statement after his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin gang.
As the Marcos administration reinforces its historic defense alliance with the US, Beijing has moved to strengthen its relations with Manila. The Philippines, for example, recently gave Washington more military positions near Taiwan and the South China Sea, two potential hotspots in the region. Beijing criticized the move.
“It has been really helpful that we were able to talk to Minister Qin Gang so that we can speak directly to each other and work things out,” Marcos said. “Some statements recently made by our two countries and by many other countries could be misinterpreted,” he said.
“Amid the ‘fluid’ and turbulent regional situation, a healthy and stable China-Philippines relationship not only meets the aspirations of our two peoples, but is also in line with the common aspirations of countries in the region,” Qin has indicated before the meeting.
Qin’s visit coincides with the biggest military exercises between the United States and the Philippines in decades. The countries’ top diplomats and defense officials met recently in Washington, where they voiced “strong objections” to Beijing’s maritime claims and agreed to finalize plans for joint patrols in disputed waters.
