Secretary Locsin, State Councilor Wang Chart "Natural" Positive Direction of Philippine-China Ties
29 October 2018 — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. today said the Philippines is pleased with the outcome of the latest round of bilateral discussions with China and believes that the two-day first visit to Davao of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi gives greater momentum to the ongoing engagement between Manila and Beijing.
“We sat down this morning with senior officials to take stock of what we have accomplished thus far; to discuss how to further advance our bilateral cooperation,” Secretary Locsin told reporters during a joint press briefing with Minister Wang at the end of their meetings at the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao.
“We are pleased with the results of our meeting and we look forward to the continued development of our bilateral relations to the mutual benefit of our two great peoples,” the Secretary added.
“Our discussions today impart even greater momentum to our productive dialogues over the past years,” said the Secretary who, together with State Councilor Wang, witnessed the signing of three documents at the end of their first full bilateral meeting.
The documents signed were the Exchange of Letters on the Feasibility Study of the Davao River Bridge Project (Bucana); the Handover Certificate of Law Enforcement-Related Materials/Equipment; and the Handover Certificate of Emergency Humanitarian Assistance.
Among the issues discussed was maritime cooperation, which, according to Secretary Locsin, is moving in a positive direction.
“While recognizing our differences and never compromising our respective core interests, we continue to discuss and explore avenues for maritime cooperation,” the Secretary said.
“We hold fast to our unwavering commitment to the Declaration of Conduct in the South China Sea. Through respectful dialogue with each other and with our partners in ASEAN, we are moving forward with astonishing amity in the negotiations toward a Code of Conduct,” Secretary Locsin told reporters.
Secretary Locsin said the Philippines also supports, along with the rest of ASEAN, China's Belt and Road Initiative to the extent that it complements and converges with the Philippine Development Plan; as well as the ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity.
“As China has been supportive of our national development goals, we support China’s initiatives to promote shared prosperity and cooperation throughout the region and the world as many other nations do,” he said.
“There is a growing and shared resolve to smoothen the path to what is the natural and mutually beneficial progress of the region,” Secretary Locsin added.
The Secretary and State Councilor Wang also discussed the forthcoming State Visit of President Xi Jinping. He said the meeting between President Duterte and President Xi will provide valuable further direction to the intensifying cooperation between both countries.
President Xi’s visit to the Philippines, which is upon the invitation of President Duterte, will be the eighth visit by a Chinese leader since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975. END
