MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and French President Emmanuel Macron tackled the West Philippine Sea in a phone call this week, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Marcos told Macron on Wednesday that the Philippine government was exerting all efforts "to maintain the peace, to maintain the stability, keep the shipping lanes open and airways open" in the West Philippine Sea, the Presidential Communications Office said.

"I thank France for all the support that you have given us in terms of our shared values, in terms of following the international law, especially UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea) and it has been of great help, the messages of support, and even when you sent French vessels to come and patrol," Marcos added.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including parts of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, despite a 2016 international court ruling that its stance has no legal basis.

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A group of French ministers will visit the country before the end of the year as part of the efforts to strengthen Philippine-France bilateral ties and cooperation, the Palace said.

Marcos said the visit could allow the two sides to work on what they had discussed at the 10th Philippine-France Joint Economic Meeting in June, during which "many of the businessmen from France were able to speak to our ministers and some of the local businessmen as well."

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