China and the Philippines can improve international relations by properly handling ongoing disputes in the South China Sea, Chinese vice-president Wang Qishan said.
Wang, who was attending the inauguration ceremony of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday, said the Philippines was a priority for China’s diplomacy, the South China Morning Post reported.
“The Chinese side has always placed the Philippines as a priority in its neighboring diplomacy, and looks forward to working with the new Philippine government to carry forward friendship, enhance mutual trust, and continue cooperation, so as to usher in a new ‘golden era’ for China-Philippines relations,” Wang, in the SCMP report, said.
Wang attended Marcos’ inauguration as a special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping. He also met Marcos’s predecessor Rodrigo Duterte.
Wang said the two nations should “adhere to the proper handling of disputes and jointly safeguard the peace and tranquillity of the South China Sea.”
The two countries have been at odds for years over the disputed waters. China has claimed sovereignty over almost the entirety of the waters, which are also claimed by Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
President Marcos, during his election campaign, earlier said he would negotiate a deal with Beijing to resolve the territorial disputes.
The election of Marcos is seen as a relief to China, as Beijing has enjoyed warmer ties with Manila over the past six years under Duterte’s China-friendly policy.
The Chinese government also offered billions of dollars in investments, including railways, roads and bridges.
The Philippine government however earlier announced the termination of talks between the two nations over a joint energy exploration deal signed in 2018. The Philippine government cited constitutional constraints and sovereignty issues as the reasons.
The move could allow Marcos to pursue exploration opportunities with other countries, SCMP reported.
Earlier, Marcos said he would use a 2016 UN arbitral ruling to assert the nation’s territorial right over the South China Sea, vowing his administration “will not compromise on sovereignty issues.” The said ruling was rejected by Beijing citing its historical claims to the disputed waters.
Wang also spoke of Duterte’s role in improving China-Philippines relations, saying the two nations “had established a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.”
“In the face of the epidemic, China and the Philippines have helped each other and overcome difficulties together, and the resilience and vitality of the relationship between the two countries have become more and more evident,” Wang, quoted in the SCMP report, said.