Philippines and China to increase contact to settle maritime disputes. On Saturday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his foreign secretary met Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and pledged to work together to address South China Sea maritime disputes.

The latest high-level meeting between the Philippines and leaders of the U.S. and China in Manila comes as the two nations compete for strategic advantage in the Indo-Pacific.

“As to the conflicts, we agreed to establish more lines of communications so that any event that occurs in the West Philippine Sea that involves China and the Philippines can immediately be resolved,” Marcos added. Manila claims the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea.

Marcos said Qin’s visit helped resolve issues and strengthen relations between the neighbors.

Early Saturday, Qin and Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo reviewed strategic and regional concerns.

Qin began the meeting by saying the two countries needed to work together to maintain a friendship, deepen cooperation, and address differences. He stated that cooperation would improve regional and global peace.

Manalo maintained the Philippines’ One China Policy while voicing alarm over rising Taiwan Strait tensions.

Last week, China’s ambassador to the Philippines accused the Southeast Asian nation of “stoking the fire” of regional tensions by granting the U.S. expanded military base access.

This month, the Philippines revealed four new U.S. military outposts, three facing north toward Taiwan, which China claims.

Manila’s foreign minister said relations with Beijing go beyond their differences over the South China Sea, which sees $3 trillion worth of ship-borne products annually and is considered rich in minerals and oil and gas deposits.

“These differences should not prevent us from seeking ways of managing them effectively, especially with respect to enjoyment of rights of Filipinos, especially fishermen,” Manalo said, adding that waterway incidents and acts threaten their livelihoods.

Since Marcos assumed office in June, the Philippines has lodged scores of diplomatic protests against Chinese fishing vessels and “aggressive actions” in the crucial waterway.

Marcos will visit U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington in May, days after 17,000 Philippine and U.S. soldiers completed their largest joint military training in Southeast Asia, bringing anger from Beijing.