BANGKOK — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday told Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the he wants to “write a new chapter in China-Philippines friendship.”

Xi told Marcos that “the two sides must stick to friendly consultation and handle differences and disputes properly,” China’s Ministry of Foreign said in a statement.

• 'Very pleasant': Marcos meets China's Xi on APEC sidelines

“As two developing countries in Asia, China and the Philippines need to keep strategic independence, uphold peace, openness and inclusiveness, and stay the course of regional cooperation,” the statement read.

“They should work together to reject unilateralism and acts of bullying, defend fairness and justice, and safeguard peace and stability in the region.”

Xi noted that Beijing is ready “to maintain regular communication with the Philippines and to continue to accommodate its concerns,” the Ministry said.

“China will work with the Philippines to carry forward their friendship and cooperation, commit to national development and rejuvenation, and write a new chapter in China-Philippines friendship,” the statement read.

China is also willing to import more agricultural products from the Philippines, Xi said, noting that Beijing “always views its relations with the Philippines from a strategic height."

“The two sides need to take more concrete steps to increase people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cement public support for China-Philippines friendship,” Xi said.

WATCH

Watch more News on iWantTFC

Marcos, on the other hand, congratulated Xi for being elected as China’s president for the third time.

“He (Marcos) noted that this brings greater stability not only to the future development of China but also to the region and the world,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

“Marcos Jr. stressed his consistent view that relations between the two countries should not be defined by maritime issues and that both sides may further enhance communication in this regard,” the statement read.

###