MANILA — The Philippines and China are embarking on a new chapter of their relationship, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said on Thursday upon his return to the country following his state visit in Beijing.

Marcos described China as the country's "most important partner" despite tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

"It is a good start, and we will continue to work on this most important relationship with this most important partner of the Republic of the Philippines," the President told reporters and his delegation at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay.

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"As we embark on a new chapter of bilateral ties, President Xi and I shared the commitment to do everything possible to ensure that the Philippines and China will continue the positive trajectory of our relations which has been elevated to that of comprehensive strategic cooperation since 2018," he said.

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Fourteen agreements have been signed between Beijing and Manila on sectors that include infrastructure, science and technology, trade, and people-to-people exchanges, said Marcos.

New areas of cooperation have also been opened, he said, most especially in areas of e-commerce and digital.

Other agreements signed during Marcos' three-day state visit in Beijing include:

• Rules on the exportation of durian, mangosteen, specialty rice varieties to China
• 4 individual loan agreements worth $201.8 million co-signed by Export-Import Bank of China (China Eximbank)
• Framework Agreement for the implementation of the Priority Bridges Crossing Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway under Chinese Government Financing, co-signed by the China International Development Cooperation Agency
• Agreement on economic and technical cooperation between the two countries
• Handover certificate for the Binondo-Intramuros and Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge

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"These agreements reflect our common priorities as well as practical ways of pursuing bilateral cooperation in an ever-increasing range of areas," the President said.

The Office of the Press Secretary earlier said Marcos' visit yielded some $22.8 billion worth of investment pledges from China.

This includes $1.72 billion for agribusiness, $7.32 billion for strategic monitoring (electric vehicle, mineral processing), and $13.76 billion for renewable energy.

WEST PHILIPPINE SEA

Marcos' trip to China also shed light on issues on the disputed West Philippine Sea, with the two countries agreeing on setting up a "direct communication line" on various levels.

This will avoid any misunderstanding and "miscalculation," he said.

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The President said he would be "more than willing to cooperate" with China for the sake of regional peace, noting that his administration is still pursuing an independent foreign policy.

"President Xi and I had an in-depth and frank discussion on the West Philippine Sea issue. We took note of our growing maturity," Marcos said.

"This bilateral relationship now allows both sides to manage differences in the West Philippine Sea and so as to not allow it to hinder the rest of our fruitful engagements and multifaceted cooperation," he said.

The two leaders agreed that maritime issues "do not comprise the entirety of our relations," acknowledging that it is a "significant concern and priority" for the country.

He directed agencies to "revitalize" ongoing bilateral mechanisms to enhance mutual trust.

Tensions in the West Philippine Sea between Manila and Beijing began in 2012 after a standoff between Chinese and Filipino vessels in the resource-rich Scarborough Shoal.

The two countries initially engaged in bilateral discussions to ease tensions, but Manila eventually dragged Beijing to an international arbitration court in The Hague after China reneged on an initial understanding that both sides would pull out all vessels in the disputed area.

In 2016, the arbitration court awarded a victory to the Philippines and invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway where at least 60 percent of sea-borne goods pass through annually.

China snubbed the ruling and continued building military installations in shoals and reefs that fall within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.