PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday met with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang to “iron things out” amid tension with China over its growing assertiveness in the region.
In a statement after his meeting with Qin in Malacañang, Marcos noted that “some of the pronouncements that have been made recently by our two countries and many other countries might be misinterpreted.”
“So today it was really useful that we were able to speak with Minister Qin Gang, the foreign minister of China, so we can talk directly to one another and iron things out,” the President said.
“It’s very, very useful and very, very productive that Minister Qin came here and that we were able to talk things a little bit through, make plans for the future, continue to work on growing the relationship between the Philippines and China, not only in the economic field but in the cultural and educational and other exchanges,” he added.
As to the conflicts, Marcos said they agreed “to establish more lines of communications so that any event that occurs in the West Philippine Sea that involves China and the Philippines can immediately be resolved.”
Qin is in Manila for a two-day official visit to follow up on agreements made between Marcos and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the former’s state visit to Beijing last January 2023.
His visit comes on the heels of simmering tension between the United States and China, and consequently, the Philippines allowing the US more access to its military facilities near the Taiwan Strait.
The visit also coincided with the ongoing “Balikatan” (Shoulder-to-Shoulder) exercises between Philippine and American troops, described as the “biggest ever” staged between the two allies.
Taiwan imbroglio
Earlier on Saturday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo expressed his concern over escalating tensions in waters around Taiwan.
“Secretary Manalo reaffirmed the Philippines’ adherence to the One China policy, while at the same time expressing concern over the escalating tensions across the Taiwan Strait,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement.
China claims Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to bring the island under its control one day, by force if necessary.
He told a forum in Shanghai on Friday that the recent rhetoric accusing China of disrupting peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait could have dangerous consequences.
“Such claims go against basic common sense on international relations and historical justice,” he said in Shanghai.
“The logic is absurd and the consequences dangerous.”
China staged military exercises around self-ruled Taiwan this month that simulated targeted strikes and a blockade of the island.
This was in response to a meeting between Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.
‘Healthy and stable ties’
China and the Philippines are also locked in a bitter maritime dispute in the strategic South China Sea.
Beijing claims almost the entire waterway and has ignored a 2016 international tribunal decision that ruled its claims have no legal basis.
The two top diplomats vowed to fulfill the promises made at the highest level, particularly those related to the sea row.
In his opening statement, Secretary Manalo recalled that Presidents Marcos and Xi, “have agreed that our differences in the West Philippine Sea are not the sum total of our relations.”
Manalo said both countries’ differences must “not prevent us from seeking ways of managing them effectively, especially with respect to the enjoyment of rights of Filipinos.”
His remark came after noting that the Filipino fishermen’s livelihood and general well-being are being “undermined by incidents and actions in the West Philippine Sea.”
Manalo called on Qin “to elevate our bilateral relations to even greater heights” as Marcos also shared with Xi the commitment to ensure the continuous “positive trajectory” of the Philippines-China relations.
For his part, Qin acknowledged the “fluid” and “turbulent” situation in the region.
“A healthy and stable China-Philippines relationship” is necessary as it “is not only meeting the aspirations of our two peoples, but also in line with the common aspirations of regional countries.”
Qin thanked the Philippine government for the invitation and the meeting held during the celebration of the end of Ramadan, a holiday.
He said, “this is ample evidence of the great importance both sides attach to the maintenance and further enhancement of our bilateral relations.”
“We need to work together to continue our tradition of friendship, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and properly resolve our differences in the spirit of credibility, consultation, and dialogue,” said Qin in his speech.
He also urged Manalo to “keep our promises to each other so as to bring more benefits to our two countries and people and inject greater positive energy to the peace and stability of this region and the whole world.”
Qin and Manalo met in person for the first time to “exchange views” on the results of the Philippines-China Foreign Ministry Consultations and the Bilateral Consultations Mechanism on the South China Sea held in March.