Manila assures Beijing on no thorny issues touched at APEC

Philippine President Benigno Aquino meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) at the presidential palace in Manila, capital of the Philippines, on Nov 10, 2015. [Xinhua/Rouelle Umali]

Philippine President Benigno Aquino assured visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday that the upcoming APEC economic leaders meeting in Manila will not involve disputed issues.

Aquino made the comment just days ahead of President Xi Jinping's attendance at the 23rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in the Philippine capital from November 17 to 19.

Before confirmation of Xi's attendance by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday, observers had speculated whether the president would travel to Manila because of territorial issues with the Philippines over the South China Sea.

Agence France-Presse quoted Philippine presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma as saying on Tuesday that Aquino told Wang, "It is in the culture of the Filipinos as hosts to make our guests feel the warmth of Filipino hospitality."

A release by the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Aquino also told Wang that the Philippines will focus on economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, and is ready to establish "a positive and comfortable atmosphere" along with Xi and other leaders.

The Associated Press reported that before Wang's visit to Manila on Tuesday, the last time a Chinese foreign minister visited the Philippines was in 2009.

After ending his working visit, Wang told Chinese reporters that the Philippines success in hosting the summit "is ... conducive to reinforcing solidarity and cooperation among developing countries".

Wang said of the promises made by Manila during the day: "We hope the Philippines can fulfill these commitments in real and concrete terms."

Vice-Foreign Minister Li Baodong said at a news conference in Beijing on Tuesday that Xi will elaborate at the APEC meetings on China's policies and philosophy regarding Asia-Pacific cooperation.

The president will discuss China's comprehensive reforms as well as the latest developments of the Belt and Road Initiative, Li said.

Li Jinming, a professor of Southeast Asian studies at Xiamen University, said the APEC summit may be the last major event during Aquino's presidential term, which ends next year, and the decision to temporarily shelve thorny issues is needed for the summit to be a success.

But Li believes that the United States and the Philippines may discuss the South China Sea issue in two-way meetings on the summit sidelines.