President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping skipped discussions on disputed territories in the South China Sea but agreed to strengthen cooperation between their two countries in the field of fisheries.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhemin made the disclosure as regards the two leaders’ bilateral talks on Wednesday amid the continued harassment of Filipino fishermen by Chinese coast guard in waters off the Scarborough Shoal.
Duterte before his state visit to China has indicated his intention to raise the issue of Filipino fishermen gaining access to their traditional fishing grounds in the South China Sea.
“The two Presidents did not mention the issue of the Huangyan Island but they did talk about the cooperation in fishery,” Liu told reporters in a press briefing following the signing of 13 bilateral cooperation agreements.
“They agreed that the two countries will strengthen fishery cooperation in the South China Sea and also cooperation in terms of fishery products, industries,” he added.
The Chinese vice foreign minister also said that China would help the Philippines in this field for the sake of the Filipino fishermen.
“China will support the Philippines in developing aqua-culture, fishery products processing so as to help deliver a better life for the fishermen of the Philippines,” Liu said.
“The two sides will have a more exchange of views on the fishery cooperation and China will make proper arrangements,” he added.
Ever since China asserted its historical claim over almost the entire South China Sea, its Coast Guard had been harassing Filipino fishermen trying to get near Scarborough Shoal.
China’s unilateral nine-dash-line claims overlap with the Philippines exclusive economic zone, an entitlement provided for under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The harassment of Filipino fishermen continued even after Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague issued a ruling favoring the Philippines in its case versus China last July 12.
GMA News