The Philippines on Saturday expressed concern over "escalating tensions" across the Taiwan Strait, while upholding the one-China policy that recognizes the government in Beijing as the sole legitimate government of China.
Enrique Manalo, the Philippines' foreign minister, also conveyed to his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang that Manila is taking an independent approach to foreign relations, an implicit way of saying it is siding with neither the United States nor China.
Their meeting came after China's recent criticism of the Philippines for interfering in Taiwan's affairs.
China's ambassador to the Philippines criticized Manila last week for "stoking the fire" of regional tensions by allowing the United States' use of additional military bases in the Southeast Asian country. He had also urged the Philippines to "unequivocally oppose Taiwan's independence."
Manalo also touched on the respective positions of the Philippines and China over the South China Sea, where their countries have overlapping claims. The area, which is rich in minerals and a critical trade route, is also being claimed in whole or in part by Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
"Our leaders have agreed that our differences in the West Philippine Sea are not the sum total of our relations," Manalo said, referring to a meeting between Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the former's visit to Beijing in January.
He added, "These differences should not prevent us from seeking ways of managing them effectively, especially with respect to the enjoyment of rights of Filipinos, especially fisherfolk whose livelihood and general well-being are undermined by incidents and actions in the West Philippine Sea."
The West Philippine Sea is the local name for parts of the South China Sea within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
Qin said, in response, that "amid the fluid and turbulent regional situation, a healthy and stable China-Philippines relationship" meets the aspirations of their people as well as that of countries in the region, according to the Chinese Embassy in Manila.
Qin's visit took place as the United States and the Philippines conduct a large-scale military exercise in areas facing the South China Sea and Taiwan.
Qin, who is on a three-day visit to Manila until Sunday, also met with Marcos.
Marcos described his meeting with Qin as "really useful" in clearing things up, saying some recent pronouncements made by the Philippines and China might have been "misinterpreted."
Marcos is set to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden on May 1 in Washington, where Biden is expected to reaffirm Washington's commitment to Manila, a defense treaty ally.
