MANILA, Philippines - Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario arrived in Beijing for talks with his Chinese counterpart to discuss the “proper” handling of specific issues in bilateral relations amid tensions over the disputed islands in the West Philippine Sea.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Del Rosario will discuss with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi “how to strengthen high-level exchanges, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, properly handle specific issues in bilateral relations, jointly promote regional cooperation in East Asia and other topics.”
The meeting came amid tensions between the two countries regarding their conflicting claims over the potentially oil-rich Spratly Islands.
Philippine officials recently banned a senior Chinese diplomat from meetings for alleged rude behavior during a discussion of alleged Chinese intrusions in the areas claimed by Manila.
Del Rosario arrived in Beijing on Thursday and is also expected to meet other Chinese leaders upon their invitation.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday that Del Rosario would also have a meeting with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping.
The DFA said Del Rosario’s two-day visit to China is intended to advance bilateral relations.
Del Rosario is expected to talk about a wide range of topics including trade, investment, culture, tourism, defense cooperation, education, science and technology, people-to-people relations and cooperation against transnational crimes.
Del Rosario said he “expects to discuss the West Philippine Sea issue although this particular issue in not the sum total of Philippines’ relations with China.”
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Commodore Miguel Rodriguez said Del Rosario’s visit to China could ease the tensions in the disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea.
“There should at least be an agreement with China… in order to stabilize the region and this is good for us,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said the Philippines and China could help maintain stability in the region through communication and transparency.
He said more exchange of information, openness and transparency are needed to achieve this.
Rodriguez though did not comment on the possibility that Del Rosario would discuss the Spratlys issue with China.
Tensions there have escalated in recent weeks, with the Philippines and Vietnam alarmed at what they say are increasingly aggressive actions by Beijing in disputed waters.
China has in the past rejected calls for multilateral talks on the West Philippine Sea disputes, insisting on one-on-one contacts with other claimants.
Several recent incidents have put the security spotlight on the region, which is a strategic and potentially oil-rich area where China has sometimes overlapping disputes with Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan. – With Jaime Laude, Alexis Romero