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A Chinese H-6K bomber on patrol over islands and reefs including Scarborough Shoal, which it calls Huangyan Dao. Photo: Xinhua

New | China says it is ‘in touch with Philippines’ about naval visit

President Rodrigo Duterte said he invited China to send warship to visit after Chinese Foreign Ministry dis­missed report about plan to build station an in disputed waters

China said on Friday it was in touch with the Philippines about the possible visit of a Chinese naval ship to the country.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday he had invited China to send a battleship to visit.

Duterte’s invitation was announced soon after Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday dis­missed a report about the country’s plan to build an environmental monitoring station in disputed waters near Scarborough shoal in the South China Sea.

His overtures towards a country long regarded by Manila as a maritime aggressor have marked an astonishing foreign policy shake-up, and Duterte made a landmark visit to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping last year.

A file photo from September, 2015 showing a Chinese Coast Guard ship warning off Filipino fishermen in the disputed Scarborough Shoal. Photo: AP

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said military exchanges between the two countries were an important part of their relations.

“Following the improvement in bilateral relations, China is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the Philippines in the relevant area,” Hua told a daily news briefing, when asked if the Chinese navy would visit.

“As for a Chinese naval ship visiting the Philippines, according to what I understand the relevant sides in both countries are currently in communication about this,” she added, without elaborating.

Duterte’s comments came amid concern in the Philippines that China would build several environmental monitoring stations in disputed waters, including on the Scarborough Shoal 200km off the Philippine coast.

News of the report threatened to dampen ties between Beijing and Manila after Philippines cabinet claimed it was planning to file a strong protest against China over the station project.

But Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday dismissed the report as untrue.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Beijing ‘in touch’ with Manila on naval visit
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