Talks to explore pathways to peace and cooperation.
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The Philippines’ ex-president Fidel Ramos has called for formal talks with China to resolve the South China Sea (SCS) issue after meeting Chinese officials during a visit to Hong Kong in the wake of an global tribunal’s verdict that rejected China’s claims over the area.
Winding up his five-day visit to Hong Kong, 88-year-old Ramos stressed that his meetings with Fu, a former Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, and Wu, a specialist on South China Sea dispute, were held “in a private capacity”, but said Manila wanted formal talks to avoid further tensions with China and allow the two countries to cooperate in some areas. The decision infuriated Beijing, which dismissed the court’s authority.
“It’s not really a breakthrough in a sense that there is no ice here in Hong Kong to break but the fish we eat.are cooked in delicious recipes”, Ramos, who had earlier referred to his visit as a fishing expedition, told reporters.
Relations have cooled since a UN-backed tribunal ruled last month that China’s claims over most of the South China Sea were invalid, in a sweeping victory for the Philippines which brought the case.
The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing partial claims and are perturbed by China’s aggressive moves to assert its sovereignty such as by reclaiming islands and building airstrips.
Li Hak-yin, a lecturer at the Department of Government and Public Administration of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, said this is a particularly critical moment for China and the Philippines as they approach negotiations on the South China Sea disputes.
It added that all parties “looked forward” to the start of formal talks which it said would be continued in Beijing and Manila.
“There was no discussion on that particular aspect, except to mention equal fishing rights”, said Ramos.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, commenting on Ramos’ visit, said on Friday that Beijing hopes such communications could “help restore China-Philippines dialogue and improve bilateral relations”.
Relations between Manila and Beijing were strained after the Philippines sought the global arbitration to resolve the dispute.
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Ramos was president of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998, when China occupied the submerged Mischief Reef.
