China: Up to the Philippines to solve sea dispute
MANILA, Philippines - Beijing on Wednesday insisted that it is up to the Philippines to settle the maritime dispute over the South China Sea.
"The person who caused the problem should solve it. We hope that the Philippines can make a more sensible choice," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a statement.
The Philippines recently filed an arbitration case before the Permanent Court of Arbitration under the United Nations against China.
The UN tribunal sided with the Philippines, deciding that it has jurisdiction to hear the claims of the Philippines against China.
READ: Philippines: UN tribunal's award a significant step | China shrugs off UN tribunal's initial ruling
Wang considered the Philippines's case against China as a "knot" that has impeded the improvement and development of the relationship between the countries.
"We do not want this knot to become tighter and tighter, so that it even becomes a dead knot... As for how to loosen or open the knot, (we’ll) have to look at the Philippines," Wang said.
The Chinese official is in the Philippines to meet with Filipino officials and compare notes on preparing for the arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping next week for the 23rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
The Chinese side also expressed its hopes of improving its relationship with the Philippines following the sea row.
However, both the Philippines and China agreed to avoid discussions on rising tensions in the South China Sea during the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting next week.
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