Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo said today, Saturday, that his country’s differences with China in the South China Sea do not represent the overall relations between the two countries.
“These differences should not prevent us from looking for ways to manage them effectively, especially with regard to the enjoyment by Filipinos of their rights, especially fishermen,” the minister added at the outset of bilateral talks in Manila with his Chinese counterpart, Qin Gang.
The Philippines has previously raised diplomatic protests over the presence of Chinese fishing vessels and what it calls China’s “aggressive measures” in the strategic waterway.
Chen said on Saturday that Beijing is ready to work with the Philippines to reach consensus between the two countries and properly resolve differences.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, through which $3 trillion in trade passes and is believed to be rich in minerals and oil and gas deposits.
A landmark ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 invalidated China’s claims. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines also have claims to the waterway.