South China Sea tensions at center of Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s visit to Beijing

Ferdinand Marcos Jr is heading to China for a three-day visit.

The Philippine President is pictured during a speech in Quezon City, the Philippines, July 25.

AP - Aaron Favila

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Junior is heading to Beijing for a three-day visit to China.

At the heart of his discussions with Xi Jinping are territorial tensions between Manila and the Chinese government over sovereignty in the South China Sea.

Publicity

Read more

It's a sea serpent, China's activism around

.

A small archipelago of 14 islets located west of the Philippines, of which the Chinese government claims sovereignty, because it is a perimeter very rich in natural resources.

There is oil, gas, and a huge amount of fish for anglers in this area.

It is a strategic crossroads which has for years caused the stiffening of the small countries of the region.

Because

by sailing military frigates around the Spratleys, but the Philippines, no more than Vietnam or the Sultanate of Brunei, do not want to give in to this blackmail.

China, the Philippines' largest trading partner

In the meantime, Manila continues to do a lot of trade with China, which is its biggest trading partner.

And Ferdinand Marcos will try to obtain even more: new investments in the Philippine agricultural sector, irrigation canals, grain silos, fertilizers.

He will also try to obtain more in infrastructure, and in energy.

Because Ferdinand Marcos said so.

Territorial tensions are not the alpha and omega of the relationship between China and the Philippines.

The dialogue between our two countries must be taken up a notch.

►Also read: South China Sea: a 55-meter Chinese lighthouse in the Spratleys

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

• China

• Philippines

• Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

• Xi Jinping