Ramos said among the issues that had been discussed in his informal dialogue with the two Chinese nationals were the enhanced peace and cooperation between the Philippines and China.
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Former President Fidel Ramos said yesterday that China has welcomed him to visit Beijing for discussions in the wake of last month’s global arbitration panel’s ruling in favor of the Philippines over China’s South China Sea maritime claims.
The most contentious disputes were not addressed directly but were more a confidence-building measure, according to a joint statement released by Ramos and Fu Ying, a former top Chinese diplomat.
The statement said the discussions were held in a private capacity, and Ramos said later other back channel talks with China were underway.
He also met with Wu Shichun, president of China’s National Institute of South China Seas Studies.
Relations have been tense following last month’s global ruling that said China’s territorial claim to most of the South China Sea was invalid.
Beijing, which has claimed nearly all of the contested region, strongly opposed the verdict.
China has refusing to acknowledge The Hague’s decision to refuse Chinese sovereignty over the South China Sea and continues to build on and militarise the islands.
It also said China has violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the latter’s exclusive economic zone, in part by pursuing large-scale land reclamation and the construction of artificial islands.
The statement added that both Beijing and Manila would seek to promote fishing cooperation, marine preservation, and tourism but made no specific mention of the South China Sea or the ruling, and did not set a timeframe for possible talks.
China claims around 90 percent of the South China Sea – which is believed to be sitting atop huge oil and gas deposits – but Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also consider some of the region’s waters, islands and reefs to be their territory.
China is reported to have put up radar and surveillance facilities in the area.
“There was no discussion on that particular aspect except to mention equal fishing rights”, he said.
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During his presentation, Carpio pointed out that the arbitral tribunal that ruled on China’s claims in the South China Sea agreed that the environment has been negatively affected by China’s activities.
