According to a report by the Nikkei News Network on July 24th, Philippine President Marcos stated that he hopes to 'reset' the increasingly strained bilateral relations between the Philippines and China.
According to the Philippines, Marcos met with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan on Tuesday. The bilateral talks lasted nearly one and a half hours.
Philippines President's Communications Office Deputy Minister Claire Castro said in a statement released at the presidential palace on Thursday: "There was communication between the two sides, and the president hopes to put bilateral relations between China and the Philippines back on a path of improvement."
Ambassador Jing Quan also said in an interview that he had a "very good conversation" with President Marcos. However, he emphasized that he hopes the Philippines will take actions based on their statements, rather than just saying they want to "reset" relations while tacitly allowing or condoning anti-China forces to provoke.
According to Filipino news agencies, U.S. President Trump assured Marcos on Thursday that he would convey to China the Philippines' concerns regarding the latest developments in the South China Sea.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded that the United States is not a party to the South China Sea issue. It has become clear that attempts to use extraterritorial countries to provoke trouble will ultimately only lead to being used as tools by others, with the consequences borne by those who initiate such actions.
It is noteworthy that after meeting with the Chinese leadership recently, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio, in response to questions from reporters regarding Chinese maritime actions, said, “This issue is discussed at every meeting between us.” However, he emphasized that dialogue is crucial in order to avoid causing “significant global consequences.”
Rubio's statement is much more mild compared to the wording used in a commentary he published in a major Philippine newspaper this week, which was promoted by the U.S. State Department. In that article, he implicitly criticized Beijing for threatening freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
On the 21st of this month, the person in charge of the Border and Marine Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Filipino ambassador to China urgently to express strong protest over the deliberate provocation by the Philippines at Ren'ai Reef and the attacks on Chinese coast guard personnel.
The Chinese side is strongly dissatisfied and protests seriously. The Chinese side demands that the Filipino side immediately stop causing trouble and provoking incidents, as well as stopping the incitement and hype. The Chinese side will take measures to firmly defend its own territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
On the 24th, Chinese coast guards imposed regulatory measures on several Filipino vessels that were engaged in illegal activities within the waters under the jurisdiction of Huangyan Island in China.
