Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday, September 12, announced that Chinese Chief Foreign Minister Wang Yu will visit the country to talk about the joint exploration of the West Philippine Sea.
“The visit is aimed at further building on the increasingly strong foundation of friendship between the Philippines and China,” DFA said in a statement as reported by The Philippine Star.
Cayetano noted that the Wang’s visit is considered a great push towards a stable relationship with China.
“State Councilor Wang’s visit is a demonstration that our bilateral ties are becoming solid and steady as never before,” Cayetano said.
Wang’s official visit will be on September 16 to 18, Sunday to Tuesday next week as per the invitation of the foreign affairs secretary.
“The Philippines and China are both committed to continue on the path of cooperation, all the while ensuring that the Filipino and the Chinese people will reap the dividends of our mutual efforts,” Cayetano added.
DFA explained the agenda of the meetings between the representatives of the two countries. They are hopeful that they will arrive at an agreement on how to better manage the territory with respect to the domestic and international ruling.
“The two sides are also expected to continue discussions on oil and gas cooperation, with the view of coming up with a framework of cooperation that conforms to respective rules and regulations and international laws,” the statement said.
The DFA believes continuous talks between China and the Philippines would promote a harmonious interaction between the two. They are also hoping that the visit will address issues that the countries are facing.
“With continued dialogue and consultation anchored on mutual trust and respect, and the resolute pursuit of mutually beneficial practical cooperation, Philippines and China will continue to work together in managing differences and addressing issues pertaining to the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea,” the statement read.
The DFA also said that they will discuss the “infrastructure projects under the Philippine government’s flagship Build, Build, Build program” with Wang.
Wang’s official visit will fall a month after Cayetano visited China last August 22. It was when Cayetano had a “non-confrontational” protest on China’s radio warnings in the West Philippine Sea.
The state councilor’s visit will be followed by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip in November. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said that they will then finalized the discussion on the framework for joint development of resources in the West Philippine Sea.
