Amid South China Sea row, Beijing urges Manila to keep communications open, ‘unaffected by irritants’

Ambassador Huang Xilian said bilateral ties should not be defined by tensions surrounding the resource-rich waterway, and the disputes could be managed through “friendly and peaceful consultations”.

“It is imperative that we implement the consensus which between our two heads of state stay friendly in the right direction of our relations and unaffected by irritants,” Huang told a gathering in Manila to celebrate China’s 74th National Day.

He said both parties needed to enhance cooperation to ensure that such relations would sail through.

Huang also commended the Chinese-speaking skills of Vice-President Sara Duterte, who delivered a video message in Mandarin at the same event.

“Her excellency, Vice-President Sara Duterte … Thank her so much for the warm message she sent to this occasion, and she does speak very good Chinese,” the diplomat said.

South China Sea: could Philippines and Vietnam bond over assertive Beijing?

“We hope that our partnership will prosper especially in the areas of agriculture, trade, investments, science and technology, and people-to-people relations,” she said.

“I take a particular interest in strengthening cooperation in the field of education and youth development. As we undertake efforts to further strengthen our relations, may we continue to pursue avenues and opportunities that will result in mutually beneficial outcomes for our peoples.”

Duterte, who is currently in South Korea to attend an international conference on education, released a video greeting in English as well, ABS-CBN reported.

Philippines not on ‘war footing’ with Beijing despite South China Sea tensions

The environmental degradation has emerged as a fresh flashpoint between the two nations.

Beijing denied it was responsible for causing damage to the marine ecosystem, calling Manila’s assertion “political drama”.

“We urge relevant parties of the Philippines to stop creating a political drama from fiction,” the foreign ministry said on Thursday.

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Beijing faces backlash from neighbours over expanded territorial claims in new official map

Beijing faces backlash from neighbours over expanded territorial claims in new official map

Beijing claims sovereignty over almost all the South China Sea – where the Philippines and several other nations have competing claims – and has rejected a 2016 international ruling that found its assertions have no legal basis.