Philippines and China pledge to keep talking despite strained ties after foreign ministers speak
China and the Philippines have pledged to maintain dialogue and manage their differences with mutual respect after Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Philippine counterpart spoke by phone, even as Beijing warned Manila about politicians crossing its red lines.
China and the Philippines have pledged to maintain dialogue and communication despite strained relations, after their foreign ministers spoke at length by telephone on Tuesday. Both governments published their own accounts of the call on Wednesday, agreeing on the need to keep talking while differing sharply in tone about what had gone wrong.
The Philippine foreign ministry said Foreign Minister Ma. Theresa Lazaro spoke with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and described the conversation as frank, pragmatic and constructive. In a social media post, Lazaro said both sides emphasised the need for continued diplomatic dialogue and the proper management of differences anchored on mutual respect.
Beijing offered a sterner version of events. According to the Chinese foreign ministry statement carried by state news agency Xinhua, Wang said relations between the two countries were facing malicious interference, and accused a small number of Philippine politicians of repeatedly attacking and smearing China out of political prejudice and self-interest, crossing its red lines. Wang urged Manila to rein in those politicians and send a rational and unified message on its China policy.
The call came after a fresh flare-up in the relationship. Manila summoned the Chinese ambassador, Jing Quan, in October after he suggested China would easily win a fight over the West Philippine Sea, the name the Philippines uses for parts of the South China Sea. Some Philippine senators called for the ambassador to be expelled, and the foreign ministry described the embassy's social media statements as undiplomatic and escalatory.
That row sits on top of a much longer dispute over the South China Sea, where China's sweeping claims overlap with those of the Philippines and several other Southeast Asian states. The two ministers discussed maritime issues during the call, though the Philippine statement gave no details of any progress, and Lazaro reaffirmed that the Philippines' one-China policy remains unchanged.
The conversation also covered the diplomatic calendar ahead. Lazaro conveyed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s hope that Chinese Premier Li Qiang would attend the ASEAN summit and related meetings in Manila, where the Philippines holds the ASEAN chair this year. Wang, in turn, expressed China's expectation that Marcos would attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' meeting in Shenzhen later this month.
Business groups in the Philippines had added their own pressure for calm a day before the call. Twenty-three business and sectoral organisations appealed to both governments to stabilise relations, warning that prolonged tension could hurt trade, investment and economic opportunities for ordinary people on both sides.
The episode illustrates how the two neighbours are trying to manage a relationship that is both deeply intertwined and frequently tense. China is a major trading partner for the Philippines, yet the maritime dispute and the sharp public exchanges between officials have repeatedly pushed ties to the edge, only for both capitals to pull back towards dialogue.
What happens next will be judged by actions rather than readouts. The ASEAN meetings in Manila and the APEC gathering in Shenzhen will test whether the pledge to accord leaders proper courtesies and keep channels open survives the next public disagreement, and whether the maritime dispute can be handled through consultation rather than confrontation.
For now, both sides have at least agreed on one point: that the conversation should continue. In a relationship where the last few weeks have been defined by threats and summons, even that limited agreement counts as a step back from the brink.
More in China
Photo: Bangkok, Thailand, at sunset (file image)
ChinaThailand lets five detained Uyghurs challenge Chinese extradition request in court
Five Uyghur men detained in Thailand since 2014 will be able to contest a Chinese extradition request in court, Thai officials said, as rights groups warned they face torture if returned to China.
Photo: The Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China
ChinaChina’s Wang Yi urges political solutions over arms in Beijing meeting with Iranian official as Gulf tensions persist
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Iranian national security official Ali Bagheri Kani in Beijing on Monday that all parties in the Middle East conflict should focus on political solutions rather than resorting to arms again, and said China supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty and security.
Photo: The Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China
ChinaChina to send Middle East envoy Zhai Jun to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia in November as Gulf tensions persist
China will send its special envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun, to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia in early and mid-November, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday, alongside separate envoy trips to several African nations.