China is looking forward to a visit by President Rodrigo Duterte as soon as possible.
The Chinese foreign ministry said that while there is no confirmed date yet for Duterte's visit, Beijing is in close communication with Philippine officials regarding the matter.
“We have expressed our welcome to President Duterte’s visit on many occasions. We hope that he can make this trip as soon as possible,” said China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang.
Geng also added that the "high-level exchanges between the two countries are of great significance to enhancing mutual understanding, mutual trust and improving ties."
Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua said Beijing and Manila are planning the visit and are doing the appropriate coordination.
Since President Duterte's assuming office in June, China and the Philippines have been engaging in friendly interactions that have yielded positive results.
The ambassador expressed belief that the Philippines is warming up to China not because Manila has no intention of brandishing the July 12 ruling of an international tribunal invalidating Beijing's massive claim in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea.
Meanwhile, former president Fidel Ramos, who was tapped earlier by Duterte to be the country's special envoy to China, said no reason was given for the cancellation of his trip to Beijing.
The news of Ramos' aborted trip was posted on the website of the Philippine embassy in Beijing.
“The Philippine embassy in Beijing regrets to inform the Filipino community that the planned gathering tomorrow, 28 September 2016 with former president and special envoy to China Fidel V. Ramos at the embassy’s Sentro Rizal will not push through. The trip to China of former president and special envoy Ramos has been cancelled,” the embassy said.
Zhao said he was not informed of the cancellation of Ramos' trip. However, he said that Ramos is always welcome to go to China for informal talks.
He said the former president has long been a friend of China and that he has been a very influential figure with personal connections in China and its officials.
"He's the right person to talk about how to enhance bilateral cooperation in an informal and official manner," he said.
The dispute over the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea has hurt relations between Beijing and Manila. China's further provocative activities in disputed waters, especially its massive land reclamation activities, prompted Manila to file a case against Beijing before an arbitral tribunal case in The Hague.
Bejing made it clear that it would never comply with the tribunal's ruling affirming the Philippine position. However, Zhao said China is open to discussion with President Duterte on his appeal to allow Filipino fishermen to return to Panatag.
Source: Philippine Star
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