Foreign ministry says first bilateral talks on disputed waters planned for May, as it also invites the Philippine coastguard for a visit
Beijing has invited the Philippine coastguard to visit China, and the two countries will hold their first bilateral talks on the disputed South China Sea in May, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. “China is willing to strengthen dialogue with the Philippines to properly manage and control differences and advance maritime cooperation, to create a favourable condition for pragmatic cooperation,” ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said. The coastguard was invited to visit China at an early date, Hua said, and cooperation between the maritime forces would inject “new vitality” into bilateral ties. China has been acting assertively in making its claims to the South China Sea, triggering a backlash among its Southeast Asian neighbours. On Monday, the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies said China had nearly completed building three islands in the disputed waters, giving it the ability to deploy combat aircraft and other military assets. The islands – Subi, Mischief and Fiery Cross reefs – are part of the Spratly chain. On each of them, China has constructed enough concrete hangers for 24 fighter jets and four or five larger planes, such as bombers or early warning aircraft.
