Philippines, China officials hold maritime talks

CEBU, Philippines —  Foreign affairs officials from the Philippines and China held talks on issues concerning the South China Sea (SCS) and the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Thursday, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting in Cebu.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Undersecretary for Policy Leo Herrera-Lim met with Hou Yanqi, director-general of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the DFA, both officials and their respective teams exchanged views on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

The meeting featured what the DFA described as a candid exchange of views on bilateral relations, maritime concerns, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Both sides also underscored the importance of sustained diplomatic dialogue and continued cooperation across all sectors, the DFA said.

In a separate statement, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said the talks “marked the resumption of political dialogue between the two countries after more than a year-long hiatus.”

“The two sides had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on maritime affairs and other issues of mutual interest and agreed to continue to maintain communication through diplomatic channels,” the embassy said.

The meeting comes amid heightened political tensions between the Philippines and China, following a recent resolution signed by 15 senators condemning Chinese embassy officials for issuing derogatory statements against certain Philippine officials and politicians, including Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela.  Foreign affairs officials from the Philippines and China held talks on issues concerning the South China Sea (SCS) and the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Thursday, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting in Cebu.