Aquino to meet with Chinese envoys

President Benigno Aquino III. AP FILE PHOTO

BATANGAS CITY, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III is meeting on Tuesday afternoon with Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao and Assistant Foreign Minister Lou Zhenmin in Malacañang.

It was the Chinese ambassador who sought the meeting set at 2 p.m. Tuesday, said Aquino.

“I understand there is a message from President Hu Jintao and they didn’t tell me exactly what the message was,” the President told reporters after visiting the Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power plant here in Tabangao.

Aquino said his planned state visit to China this month would push ahead.

“So far it’s still a go,” he said but declined to divulge the dates of his visit.  He said the Department of Foreign Affairs would announce the dates.

The visit of the Chinese assistant foreign minister comes in the wake of heated exchanges between Manila and Beijing over recent alleged Chinese intrusions into the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea.

Both the Philippines and China are claiming territories in the West Philippine Sea.