Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang visited the Philippines to strengthen ties between the two countries amid conflicting territorial claims in the South China Sea. His visit coincides with the US and the Philippines holding their largest ever joint military exercises involving nearly 18,000 troops. Regional security issues, as well as cooperation in agriculture, trade, energy, and infrastructure, were discussed. Qin’s visit was aimed at “enhancing mutual trust” and “properly handling differences” with the Philippines, according to Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea and has ignored a 2016 tribunal ruling that its claims have no legal basis. Philippine Foreign Affairs Analyst Richard Heydarian said that Qin’s visit is “timely and extremely important” given the current state of relations between the two countries. The DFA has filed more than 70 protests against China’s “persistent and illegal presence in Philippine water” since Marcos assumed the presidency last year.
