The Philippines expects Chinese Premier Li Qiang at this month's Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Manila as its foreign minister seeks continued talks with China despite strained ties.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro spoke with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Nov. 3, the Philippine foreign ministry said the following day. Manila described the lengthy call as constructive and said the countries would continue communicating.
China's Foreign Ministry gave a more critical account. It said Wang accused some Philippine politicians of crossing Beijing's red lines and urged Manila to rein them in, as detailed in EconoTimes' earlier coverage of his remarks.
The countries also disagree over the South China Sea. The 2016 tribunal found that China could not claim historic resource rights beyond those allowed by the law of the sea in waters inside the nine-dash line. China rejected the award.
The Philippines is chairing ASEAN this year. Manila said the ministers promised courtesies to visiting leaders at the summit and at Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Shenzhen later in November. The Manila meetings are scheduled to begin Nov. 16.
