Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 16) — The Chinese ambassador to Manila and the chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) tackled the issue of regional peace in a meeting on Wednesday, following fresh disagreement between the two countries over the laser incident in the West Philippine Sea.
In a statement, the AFP said its chief of staff General Andres Centino met with Chinese envoy Huang Xilian during a courtesy call at the AFP General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
“The discussion focused on military to military exchange and cooperation that will promote peace and stability in the region,” the AFP said, describing the discussion as “cordial and constructive.”
The statement was echoed by Huang, who also shared photos of the event on his social media account.
The meeting came just two days after President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. summoned Huang to express serious concern over “the increasing frequency and intensity” of Chinese actions against the country’s coast guard and fishermen in the disputed waters.
The latest of these activities was a Chinese vessel’s reported use of a blinding military-grade laser against a Philippine Coast Guard ship near Ayungin Shoal — an act Beijing denies doing.
Centino, however, clarified that their discussion was scheduled even before Huang was summoned by Marcos.
“It was just an exchange of pleasantries… Expression of mutual respect,” Centino said in a separate interview.
Several nations have called out China for the incident, which they warned threatens peace and stability in the region.
Military to continue resupply mission
Asked about the details of their discussion, Centino bared that he and the ambassador did not talk much about the latest dispute and the situation in the West Philippine Sea.
He noted that such topic would be better tackled at a “ministerial level,” and not with the AFP.
But Centino said he relayed that the military will continue with the resupply mission to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.
“We did not talk about the conduct. Basta ang pinaabot lang namin, tropa natin ‘yun (What we told him is that those are our troops), we have to provide supplies for them,” he stressed.
CNN Philippines’ David Santos contributed to this report.
