MANILA: China and the Philippines have signed an agreement to establish a direct hotline between the presidential offices of Beijing and Manila to help prevent any new confrontation in the South China Sea
China and the Philippines have created such emergency telephone hotlines in the past but at lower levels to manage disputes.
The territorial disputes between the two countries have continued since last year, sparking fears of a larger conflict that could involve the United States. The US has repeatedly warned that it would defend the Philippines, a key Asian ally if it comes under attack in the South China Sea.
US Gen. Charles Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met the military chief of the Philippines Gen. Romeo Brawner in Manila on Tuesday and discussed ways to further strengthen defence ties, boost the militaries’ ability to operate jointly and ensure stability in the region.
During a confrontation between the forces of China and the Philippines in August 2023, the Philippine government said it was unable to reach Chinese officials through maritime communication mechanisms for many hours. That emergency telephone hotline was established after President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in January 2023.
Officials of China and the Philippines held talks in Manila on July 2, after a violent confrontation at the Second Thomas Shoal in which the Chinese coast guard used sharp weapons against Philippine navy personnel.
Both sides recognized the need to boost the bilateral maritime communication mechanism on the South China Sea and signed a pact on improving Philippines-China maritime communication mechanisms, said the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila in a statement but did not provide a copy or details of the agreement.
During the talks in Manila, China and the Philippines also agreed on taking confidence-boosting steps to intensify cooperation between their coast guard authorities.
