China is ready to resume oil and gas talks with the Philippines and handle maritime issues in a friendly and consultative manner, President Xi Jinping told his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Wednesday.

According to CCTV, Xi also said that both countries should increase communication and cooperation in agriculture, infrastructure, energy and culture.

The chair of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, Li Zhanshu, earlier met Marcos Jr who is on a three-day state visit to Beijing.

At the talks in the capital, Marcos Jr said that his visit to China was "of primary importance to increase the relationship and to strengthen the relationship between China and the Philippines".

Accompanied by a big business delegation, Marcos said they would seek cooperation in various areas, including agriculture, energy, infrastructure, trade and investments, and people-to-people exchanges.

“I have always stated that the partnership agreements in the next few years will be partnerships that will stabilise and strengthen all our economies so that we are able to face the challenges and the different shocks that now we are already beginning to feel and will continue to feel in the next few years.”

He added they expected to sign more than 10 key bilateral agreements during the visit.

China accounts for 20 percent of the Philippines’ foreign trade and is also a major source of foreign direct investment. (Reuters/AP)
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Last updated: 2023-01-04 HKT 19:32