The Philippines and China have resumed dialogue on disputed territories in the South China Sea for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic struck to develop bilateral relations, Philippine media reported Thursday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd March, 2023) The Philippines and China have resumed dialogue on disputed territories in the South China Sea for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic struck to develop bilateral relations, Philippine media reported Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the 23rd round of Philippine-Chinese inter-ministerial consultations opened in Manila and will be followed by the seventh meeting of the bilateral South China Sea Consultation Mechanism on March 24, the Philippine news Agency reported.
The resumption of Philippine-Chinese dialogue is taking place amid Manila's growing concerns over Chinese activity in disputed waters, including the alleged appearance of more than 40 Chinese maritime militia vessels off Pag-Asa Island that is part of the Spratly archipelago, the report read.
"We need to comprehensively deepen our comprehensive strategic cooperation and enhance cooperation in various practical areas and properly deal with our differences through friendly consultation," Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong said, as quoted by the agency.
Sun's Philippine counterpart, Theresa Lazaro, said that she was also committed to work with Beijing "to implement the consensus," according to the report.
The Philippine Foreign Ministry earlier said that the two diplomats' discussions would focus on areas such as the economy, people-to-people matters, shipping safety, security and regional issues, the agency added.
According to the Chinese government, the disputed waters and islands between the Philippines and China are being used by the United States to escalate confrontation with Beijing. On Thursday, Tian Junli, a spokesperson of People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, said that the US guided missile destroyer USS Milius entered the waters of the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea without notifying Beijing.
Beijing has long been disputing ownership of several hydrocarbon-rich islands in the South China Sea with several Asia-Pacific countries. The territories include the Paracel Islands (also known as the Xisha or the Hoang Sa archipelago), the Spratly Islands (also Nansha), and the island of Huangyan, also known as the Scarborough Shoal. Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan are involved in the dispute to varying degrees.
