Del Rosario arrives in Beijing

BEIJING—Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario has arrived in Beijing for talks with his Chinese counterpart amid tensions over disputed islands in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a regular briefing that del Rosario arrived Thursday morning and would hold talks with Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Friday.

Tensions over the potentially oil-rich Spratly Islands have risen recently, and Philippine officials have banned a senior Chinese diplomat from meetings for alleged rude behavior during a discussion of alleged Chinese intrusions in Manila-claimed territory.