Philippine Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Teresa Lazaro confirmed that the leaders of China and the Philippines "agreed to address maritime issues through diplomacy and dialogue, not through coercion and intimidation." The discussions come two months after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s official visit to China, where President Xi Jinping expressed his willingness to address maritime issues "amicably."
For his part, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong affirmed that "maritime issues are an important part of China-Philippines relations and should not be ignored." He added, "In recent years, through friendly dialogue and consultations, the two countries have generally succeeded in managing and effectively dealing with our differences regarding maritime issues. We have also practically enhanced our cooperation and mutual trust."
