In a bid to address escalating tensions in the South China Sea, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Friday his intention to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in San Francisco. The discussions aim to garner China’s perspective on ways to ease tensions in the West Philippine Sea, a region Manila claims within the larger South China Sea.
“We will get the view of the Chinese president on what we can do to bring down the temperature, to not escalate the situation in the West Philippine Sea,” Marcos conveyed in a video message. The term “West Philippine Sea” is the nomenclature used by Manila for the part of the South China Sea under its jurisdiction.
President Marcos highlighted the Philippines’ commitment to maintaining peace and expressed the need to collaborate with China to find constructive solutions. Ahead of the meeting with President Xi, Marcos also engaged in discussions on South China Sea issues with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.
The Chinese embassy in Manila has not yet responded to requests for comments on the upcoming meeting.
China’s expansive claims over the South China Sea, marked by a controversial “nine-dash line” on its maps, have been a longstanding source of regional tension. The Philippines, along with other Southeast Asian nations, rejects China’s assertion, leading to periodic confrontations and disputes.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 invalidated the legal basis of China’s claim, but Beijing refuses to acknowledge the ruling.
In response to recent developments, the Philippines’ foreign ministry affirmed its commitment to resupply missions and the maintenance of a grounded navy ship in a disputed atoll. The ministry urged China to remove any “illegal structures” within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and cease reclamation activities, emphasizing the need for accountability.
As leaders convene at the APEC Summit, the meeting between Presidents Marcos and Xi holds significance in charting a course for regional stability and cooperative solutions to maritime disputes in the South China Sea. The diplomatic engagement aims to foster dialogue and understanding amid complex geopolitical dynamics.
