China, Philippines agree to handle disputes peacefully, boost
cooperation
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[January 05, 2023]
By Yew Lun Tian and Neil Jerome Morales
BEIJING/MANILA (Reuters) -China and the Philippines have agreed to set
up a direct communications channel between their foreign ministries on
the South China Sea to handle disputes peacefully, they said on
Thursday.
Their agreement, which contained 14 elements aimed at cooling security
tensions and boosting economic cooperation, comes as they strive to mend
a relationship hurt after the Philippines won a 2016 arbitral ruling
that invalidated China's expansive claims in the South China Sea.
The Philippines has previously raised concerns over reported Chinese
construction activities and the "swarming" of its boats by dozens of
Chinese vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea, an area rich
in oil, gas and fishery resources.
In a joint statement issued after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos
met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday, both leaders
reaffirmed that their countries would respect each other's sovereignty
and territorial integrity.
The Philippines will pursue an independent foreign policy, and was
willing to cooperate for regional peace and the two countries' national
interests, Marcos said in a speech upon arriving back in Manila.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Jan/05/images/ads/current/cefcu_sda_LUAL_2022.png)
"We agreed that maritime issues between the two countries do not
comprise the entirety of our relations," Marcos said, while adding that
maritime rivalry remained a "significant concern and priority" for the
Philippines and the region.
Both sides also agreed to resume talks on oil and gas exploration in the
South China Sea and discuss cooperation on areas including solar, wind,
electric vehicles and nuclear power.
Coastguards from China and the Philippines would also meet "as soon as
possible" to discuss "pragmatic cooperation".
Both countries would consider informing each other when firing rockets
and cooperate on the retrieval of rocket debris, they said in their
joint statement.
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![](../images/010523PIX/news_x63.jpg)
National flags are placed outside a room
where Philippine Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and China's
Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng address reporters after their meeting
in Beijing, China, January 23, 2017. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj/Files
![](../images/010523PIX/news_x23.png)
Last November, when debris from a Chinese rocket fell in the South
China Sea, a Chinese coastguard ship stopped a Philippine boat from
trying to tow it away.
Both countries reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability as
well as freedom of navigation and overflight and would hold an
annual dialogue on security, they said.
On economic cooperation, China agreed to let in more Philippine
imports, with the aim for bilateral trade to revert to or surpass
pre-pandemic volume.
Both sides also promised to boost tourist numbers and flights
between their capitals to pre-pandemic level.
They also said that both sides would cooperate on vaccine
procurement. China is among the world's top exporters of COVID-19
vaccines.
Marcos's three day visit to China comes as it re-emerges from a
self-imposed border shut-down since the pandemic started in 2020,
which has disrupted trade and hurt its economy.
Both sides also renewed an agreement on the Belt-and-Road
Initiative, Xi's signature strategy on overseas infrastructure
investment.
Chinese investors have committed $22.8 billion in investment pledges
following a business meeting with Marcos, the Philippine press
secretary said.
The pledges included $13.76 billion for renewable energy, mainly in
solar and wind, $7.3 billion for strategic monitoring including
electric vehicles and mineral processing, and $1.7 billion for
agribusiness.
"I assure you that our government is committed to support your
business activities," Marcos told Chinese business executives before
his return to Manila.
(Reporting by Yew Lun Tian and Liz Lee in Beijing, and Neil Jerome
Morales in Manila; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Raju
Gopalakrishnan)
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