Daven Tamayo

'Just common courtesy': Marcos says no West PH Sea talk with Xi Jinping at APEC 2025 sidelines

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17619956348271761995653663.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Chinese President Xi Jinping and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. AFP/Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool </div>BUSAN, South Korea — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday said that he did not raise issues about Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea during his brief meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Gyeongju.The Philippine president underscored that the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit was not the proper venue for discussions on defense and politics.Marcos Jr. said he approached Xi before the APEC Summit came to a close as a form of &quot;common courtesy.&quot;<div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/1/marcos-jr-assures-xi-jinping-of-ph-s-partnership-meaningful-cooperation-in-region-1514">READ: Marcos Jr. assures Xi Jinping of PH&#x27;s ‘partnership, meaningful cooperation’ in region</a></div>&quot;Masyado kayong deep. It&#x27;s just common courtesy. I make sure I talk to everyone as much as possible,&quot; he said.&quot;It was very quick lang,&quot; he said, noting that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi joined the discussion as their interpreter.&quot;With President Xi Jinping, neither side asked for a meeting because ano ang paguusapan namin? This is not the place to talk about the West Philippine Sea,&quot; he said.&quot;This is APEC. It&#x27;s an economic meeting. We don&#x27;t really talk about such issues… Sa ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) pwede pa these political issues that&#x27;s why I always bring it up [there],&quot; he said.Marcos Jr. said it took time before he could approach Xi as the Chinese leader was always surrounded by several people throughout the series of conferences.&quot;Ang hirap lapitan talaga. Every time he comes in, ang hirap lapitan. He is surrounded by security guards,&quot; the Philippine President said.&quot;Ayoko mamilit, baka suntukin ako ng security guard niya,&quot; he said, laughing.&quot;In the end, sabi ko, nakakahiya na hindi pa ako bumabati so pinilit ko makapunta sa kaniya… Baka sabihin tayong mga Pilipino hindi marunong, so lumapit na ako,&quot; he said.Marcos Jr.&#x27;s brief encounter on the APEC sidelines was their first face-to-face conversation since January 2023, when the Chinese President invited the Philippine leader to a state visit in China.The two leaders had then agreed to open a direct line of communication to settle disputes and frictions between Chinese and Filipino vessels in the West Philippine Sea, but the Department of Foreign Affairs had said that their Chinese counterparts never picked up calls from the Philippines to address issues in the said area.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/1/marcos-jr-hopes-task-force-philippines-will-lower-tensions-in-west-ph-sea-1842">READ: Marcos Jr. hopes &#x27;Task Force Philippines&#x27; will &#x27;lower tensions&#x27; in West PH Sea</a></div>In 2026, the Philippines will host the ASEAN Summit, and is expected to push for the finalization of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to peacefully resolve disputes in the resource-rich waterways.China, on the other hand, will have a chance to set the APEC 2026 agenda as it chairs the Asia-Pacific regional bloc next year.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday said that he did not raise issues about Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea during his brief meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Gyeongju.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday said that he did not raise issues about Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea during his brief meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Gyeongju.