Philippines wants formal talks to ease tensions with China, says ex-president Ramos
Former head of state ends trip to Hong Kong to try to improve two nations’ ties, strained by sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea
The former president of the Philippines Fidel Ramos say his country’s government wants formal discussions to avoid further tensions with China and to explore ways of increasing cooperation between the two nations.
Ramos’ comments came as he wrapped up his fence-mending mission in Hong Kong on Friday.
Relations between the two countries have been strained since an international tribunal in The Hague dismissed China’s claims to most of the South China last month. The Philippines is a rival claimant to some of the ocean’s waters and it bought the case against China to the court in the Netherlands.
Ramos, a special envoy of serving Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, told a press conference he had discussed the issue of fishing rights in the South China Sea with Fu Ying, the chairwoman of the foreign affairs committee of the National People’s Congress.
The discussions did not touch on sovereignty issues in the Scarborough Shoal area of the South China Sea, he said, a particular source of conflict between the two sides.
Ramos and his delegation are heading back to Manila on Friday after a five-day trip to Hong Kong during which he pledged to meet “old friends” with ties to President Xi Jinping.
