(UPDATE) MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and China have resumed their political dialogue after a more than a year-long hiatus, holding talks on the sidelines of an Asean meeting amid heightened tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
In separate statements, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Chinese Embassy said Philippine DFA Undersecretary for Policy Leo M. Herrera-Lim met with Hou Yanqi, director-general of China’s Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs, during the Senior Officials’ Meeting on the implementation of the Declaration on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.