Chinese Foreign Minister Chen Gang arrived in Manila on Friday in a bid to strengthen his country's ties with the Philippines, which is holding the largest joint military exercises with the United States in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims sovereignty.
Chen arrived in the Philippine capital around 14 p.m. on Friday (00:<> GMT), on his first visit to the Philippines as foreign minister.
Philippine officials said Chen would meet Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos on Saturday, after meeting with Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo.
Chen's visit coincides with the largest joint military exercise between the United States and the Philippines, involving some 18,28 troops, including live ammunition, which runs until April <>.
It is the first time these annual joint exercises have taken place under President Ferdinand Marcos, who is seeking to improve relations with Washington after they deteriorated under his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte.
China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that "regional security issues of common concern" would be part of the talks, in addition to talking about strengthening cooperation in agriculture, trade, energy and infrastructure.
Boost confidence
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Friday that Chen's visit was aimed at "enhancing mutual trust" and "properly dealing with differences" with the Philippines, adding that "China looks forward to strengthening communication with the Philippines during this visit."
Philippine foreign affairs analyst Richard Hedarian said Chen's visit was "timely and very important," given the current state of relations between the two countries.
US President Joe Biden is scheduled to receive his Philippine counterpart at the White House on the first of May, in a sign of improved relations between the two countries.
In recent months, Manila and Washington have resumed joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea, striking an agreement aimed at strengthening the U.S. military presence in the Philippines.
Under the deal, U.S. forces will be allowed to use four additional Philippine military bases, including a naval base near Taiwan, a move China has condemned as "endangering regional peace and stability."
The Philippine president said at the time that China's reaction was "not surprising," but reassured Beijing that Manila was only strengthening its regional defense.
The United States and the Philippines have had a decades-long security alliance, including a mutual defense treaty and a 2014 enhanced defense cooperation agreement, which allows U.S. troops to be present at five Philippine bases, including those near disputed waters, and allows the U.S. military to store defense equipment and supplies at those bases.