Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 20) — Philippine and Chinese foreign affairs officials will hold consultations this week aimed at improving cooperation and easing tensions, including over disputed waters.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Monday that it will host in Manila the 23rd Philippines-China Foreign Ministry Consultations (FMC) and the 7th Bilateral Consultations Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea.
It said these will take place on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
“The discussions under the two mechanisms will cover a broad number of issues, including economic, people-to-people, maritime, security, and regional matters,” the DFA said in a statement.
The FMC, which was last held in 2019, reviews the overall bilateral ties.
Meanwhile, the BCM, which was last conducted in 2021, covers maritime issues of concern, including developments in the West Philippine Sea.
During President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Beijing in January, the DFA noted that he and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed that both mechanisms are important to boost trust and confidence.
“The back-to-back conduct of the FMC and BCM highlights the goodwill between the Philippines and China to dialogue and move forward on practical measures,” it said.Ma. Theresa Lazaro, DFA undersecretary for bilateral relations and ASEAN affairs, will lead the Philippine delegation, and her counterpart is Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong.
Sun is also expected to pay a courtesy call on Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, the department said.
Last month, Manalo said Beijing’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea persist on a daily basis, “depriving the Philippines of the use of our exclusive economic zone (EEZ).”
DFA: Chinese harassment in West PH Sea a ‘daily’ occurrence
