Courtesy of Philippine Information Agency
The Philippines and China held another round of discussions in Beijing aimed at addressing prevailing bilateral concerns and identifying ways to advance mutually beneficial cooperation, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Saturday.
In a statement, both sides had an “open and candid” exchange of views on prevailing bilateral concerns, following initial talks held in Cebu on January 29.
“Both sides had an open and candid exchange of views on prevailing bilateral concerns, and explored ways to advance mutually beneficial cooperation,” the statement read.
In a Facebook post, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said the second round of discussions constitutes the next step in implementing the roadmap crafted by the two countries.
“In line with the roadmap reached between China and the Philippines, the two sides resumed political dialogue, after a suspension of more than one year, in Cebu in January this year. This round of talks constitutes the second step in the implementation of that roadmap,” the embassy said.
In January, senior officials from the Philippines and China held discussions on the sidelines of the Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) on the Declaration on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, marking the resumption of talks after more than a year-long hiatus.
During their discussions, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to open communication on bilateral relations, maritime affairs, and regional and international issues of shared interest, according to the DFA.
The second round of discussions was held in Beijing from February 27 to 28, with the Philippines represented by DFA Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs Marshall Louis Alferez.
For its part, China was represented by Asian Affairs Director-General Liu Jinsong and Boundary and Ocean Affairs Director-General Hou Yanqi.
Additionally, Alferez paid a courtesy call on Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong and discussed the state of bilateral relations.