The Philippines and China on Thursday agreed to conduct dialogues to address issues in the disputed waters, according to Chinese state media, citing a statement from China’s Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs.
They also agreed to “properly manage” maritime disputes.
The statement followed a meeting between Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs Director General Yi Xianliang with Foreign Affairs Chief Alan Peter Cayetano and Undersecretary Enrique Manalo.
“Both sides agreed that Beijing and Manila should follow the spirit of consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and properly manage maritime disputes through dialogue and negotiation,” Xinhua said.
Manila and Beijing also agreed to “protect peace and stability of the South China Sea,” Xinhua said.
China recently stepped up its militarization efforts in the disputed waters, installing military-grade runways, hangars, hardened storage for ammunition, and retractable roofs for anti-cruise missiles, prompting the Philippines to beef up its force in the area and file a protest.