Phl, China resume bilateral talks

The Philippines and China resumed their bilateral political dialogue on Thursday after more than a year of hiatus, signaling a renewed push to keep diplomatic channels open despite lingering tensions.

The discussions were led by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Leo Herrera-Lim and Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director-General for Ocean Affairs Hou Yanqi. 

The meeting took place a day before senior Chinese and ASEAN officials convene in Manila for the next round of negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

While details were kept limited, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the two sides spoke frankly about the state of Philippine–China relations, maritime concerns, and regional and global issues of shared interest. 

Both delegations, the DFA added, emphasized the need for sustained dialogue and cooperation across various sectors.

Earlier, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said China is actively exploring possible cooperation with the Philippines in areas such as clean energy, the digital economy, waste-to-energy projects, agriculture, and poverty reduction.

The resumption of talks comes amid heightened rhetoric over the West Philippine Sea, which recently sparked sharp exchanges between Chinese diplomats and Filipino officials. 

Malacañang said last week that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. favors a “firm with diplomacy” approach in addressing the dispute, even as lawmakers have floated proposals to declare certain Chinese Embassy officials persona non grata.