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China, Philippines to set up alert system for rocket launches after space debris row
- They also agreed to ‘explore potential cooperation in such areas as meteorology, space tracking, telemetry and command’
- It comes after Manila lodged a protest with Beijing over an incident in November when Chinese debris was found in Philippine waters
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Beijing and Manila will discuss cooperation on areas like weather forecasting and space tracking, and set up a notification system for rocket launches following a diplomatic row over Chinese debris found in Philippine waters.
The agreement was among those in a joint statement signed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, who was on a three-day visit to Beijing.
“Both sides agreed to explore potential cooperation in such areas as meteorology, space tracking, telemetry and command,” according to the joint statement released on Thursday.
“Both sides expressed willingness to establish an information notification system on rocket launches and work on procedures for the retrieval and return of space debris.”
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Ferdinand Marcos Jnr visits Beijing; Xi offers talks on joint oil exploration deal
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Chinese space rocket debris has been found in Philippine waters in recent months and in the past, adding to tensions between the two countries over a long-standing territorial dispute in the South China Sea.
As well as a formal notification system for rocket launches, Xi and Marcos Jnr also agreed to set up a direct communication channel between their foreign ministries to handle the South China Sea dispute.
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