Philippines and China Convene 10th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea
XIAMEN 16 January 2025 – The Philippines and China convened the 10th Meeting of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea (BCM) today in Xiamen, Fujian – the hometown of the majority of Chinese Filipinos.
Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong had frank and constructive discussions on the situation in the South China Sea and other bilateral issues.
“Our position is clear and consistent, but so is our willingness to engage in dialogue. We firmly believe that despite the unresolved challenges and differences, there is genuine space for diplomatic and pragmatic cooperation in dealing with our issues in the South China Sea,” Undersecretary Lazaro said in her opening remarks.
The two sides exchanged views on the Provisional Understanding on the Philippines’ rotation and reprovisioning (RORE) missions to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, acknowledged its positive outcomes, and agreed to continue its implementation to sustain the de-escalation of tensions without prejudice to respective national positions.
The Philippines expressed serious concern regarding recent incidents in the South China Sea, particularly the activities of CCG 5901 and CCG 3103 in Philippine maritime zones that are inconsistent with the 1982 UNCLOS and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act.
The meeting agreed to reinvigorate the platform for coast guard cooperation. The two sides also identified ocean meteorology as an area of focus for a workshop on marine scientific cooperation.
Undersecretary Lazaro underscored that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has emphasized the Philippines’ commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and diplomacy.
The Philippines will host the next BCM at a later date. END
