Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 8) — The South China Sea issue was high on the agenda of Friday’s telesummit between Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
The two leaders emphasized the need to maintain peace, security, and stability in the hotly contested waters “by exercising restraint, dissipating tensions, and working on a mutually agreeable framework for functional cooperation,” Malacañang said in a statement.
Both sides also remained committed to “broaden the space for positive engagements which reflected the dynamic and multidimensional relations of the Philippines and China,” the Palace added.
The meeting between Duterte and Xi followed yet another diplomatic protest filed by Manila against Beijing over a “close distance maneuvering” of Chinese Coast Guard vessel in the disputed Scarborough Shoal – an incident the Philippine Coast Guard described as “a clear violation” of international regulations on preventing collisions at sea.
Other issues tackled during the telesummit were the COVID-19 pandemic – where both leaders “committed to work even more closely” to defeat the coronavirus – and matters concerning global and regional developments.
The Palace said Duterte and Xi renewed their commitment to bring peace, progress, and prosperity in the ASEAN region – while expressing concern over the war between Russia and Ukarine and calling for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue in accordance with international law.
The two leaders, according to Malacañang, also looked back at the growth of relations between their countries, as the Duterte administration nears its end.
They described it “as one that is positive and created greater space for partnership and cooperation,” especially in terms of the economy and infrastructure.
