Top China envoy coming to Philippines for talks

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying AFP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Amid a  gradual warming up of relations, a high-ranking Chinese diplomat is arriving in Manila on Friday for talks with Philippine officials on how to improve ties despite an unresolved territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying, a former ambassador to Manila, is coming for the 18th Foreign Ministry Consultations (FMC), a regular discussion on the improvement of relations between China and the Philippines.

Reports have identified Fu as the Chinese high official in back-channel talks with a Philippine senator for a resolution of a maritime standoff between Chinese and Philippine ships at Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea from early April to mid-June.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV disclosed in September that he had been talking with Chinese officials and that the back-channel talks had President Aquino’s approval.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila has not commented on the reports.

Trillanes claimed that his efforts resulted in the pullout of most of the nearly 100 Chinese vessels from the resource-rich Panatag Shoal, 220 kilometers west of Zambales province.

Chinese maritime vessels are still in the area, but Malacañang has deferred action on a decision to send back government ships to the area to resume the face-off.

Discussion of dispute

Besides Panatag Shoal, whose international name is Scarborough Shoal, China and the Philippines also dispute ownership of five islands in the Spratly archipelago and Recto Bank, a reef off Palawan with confirmed deposits of gas.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the dispute over those islands would be discussed during a meeting between the Chinese panel led by Fu and the Philippine panel headed by Foreign Undersecretary for Policy Erlinda Basilio.

Fu, who handles Asia, boundary and ocean affairs, and translation and interpretation for the Chinese foreign ministry, is also expected to meet with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario.

The meeting in Manila is a follow-up to the last consultations, held in Beijing in January, said DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez.

The DFA described the consultations as a regular bilateral meeting where senior officials discuss issues of mutual concern and talk about furthering cooperation in different areas, including economic ties, tourism, culture and educational exchange, defense and security relations, agriculture and fisheries programs, cooperation on transportation and communication and consular matters.

Originally posted at 01:15 pm | Wednesday, October 17, 2012