Camille Naredo

Chinese flags wave with Philippine flags along Roxas Boulevard in Manila on November 19, 2018. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

Chinese flags wave with Philippine flags along Roxas Boulevard in Manila on November 19, ahead of Chinese president Xi Jinping's state visit in the country. Xi will be visiting the country from November 20 to 21. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Flying the Chinese flag

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174931969548420181119-chinese-flag-xi-jinping-state-visit-MD-8757.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Chinese flags wave with Philippine flags along Roxas Boulevard in Manila on November 19, 2018. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Chinese flags wave with Philippine flags along Roxas Boulevard in Manila on November 19, 2018. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- The Philippines and China should &quot;revisit&quot; and &quot;follow the heartfelt wishes&quot; of its peoples to &quot;seek collaboration instead of confrontation&quot; and choose &quot;dialogue instead of conflict,&quot; Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said on Saturday.</p><p>Huang expressed the sentiment as the two countries marked the 50th anniversary of their bilateral relations despite continuing frictions in the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>He gave the statement in front of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Philippine senators, business leaders and other key figures from the Filipino-Chinese community here.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/7/next-president-must-continue-fight-to-protect-west-ph-sea-says-pcg-1234">READ: Next president must continue fight to protect West PH Sea, says PCG</a></div><p>&quot;Half a century ago, the leaders of our two countries sized up the situation and made the strategic and audacious decision to establish our diplomatic relations,&quot; the Chinese ambassador said.</p><p>&quot;As we celebrate the golden jubilee of diplomatic relations, we have every reason to revisit the original vision of our forefathers and follow the heartfelt wishes of our two people to seek collaboration instead of confrontation, dialogue instead of conflict,&quot; he said.</p><p>Huang&#x27;s speech comes as China continues to impinge on the Philippines exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea, and as Asia&#x27;s largest economy refuses to recognize a 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidated its sweeping 9-dash line claim in the South China Sea.</p><p>Under the Marcos Jr. administration, Manila has been more active and vocal in defending its sovereign rights in the resource-rich area as Beijing continues to deploy its vessels and use its water cannons against Filipino  civilian ships and fishing boats sailing within the Philippines&#x27; exclusive economic zone.</p><p>In the same speech, Huang underscored that &quot;China and the Philippines are close neighbors that cannot move apart.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Good neighbors serve the fundamental interest of our two peoples,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;It is our hope that more and more people will join our effort to bring our relationship back to an even better future,&quot; he added.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/31/teodoro-china-needs-to-overcome-deficit-of-trust-0223">READ: China needs to overcome &#x27;deficit of trust&#x27; -- Teodoro</a></div><p>Last week, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. called out China&#x27;s duplicity, underscoring that Beijing has been advocating for dialogue in forums while it continues to militarize waters and maritime features belonging to other countries.</p><p>&quot;For dialogue to be effective, it must be coupled with trust, and China has a lot of trust building to do to be an effective negotiating partner in disputed settlements,&quot; Teodoro said in the Shangri La  Dialogue in Singapore.</p><p>&quot;We have to call a spade a spade, and that&#x27;s what we see.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8SAcnzSow18?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_UZV5Drb1cs?&amp;pp=0gcJCbIJAYcqIYzv&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Philippines and China should "revisit" and "follow the heartfelt wishes" of its peoples to "seek collaboration instead of confrontation" and choose "dialogue instead of conflict," Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said on Saturday.</p>

The Philippines and China should "revisit" and "follow the heartfelt wishes" of its peoples to "seek collaboration instead of confrontation" and choose "dialogue instead of conflict," Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said on Saturday.

'Collaboration instead of confrontation': Chinese envoy hopes people will help bring PH-China relations 'back to even better future'

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'Collaboration instead of confrontation': Chinese envoy hopes people will help bring PH-China relations 'back to even better future'

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 08, 2025 02:09 AM PHT

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