China, Philippines should properly manage differences: Beijing

Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Sun Weidong meeting his Philippine counterpart Theresa Lazaro in Manila on March 23, at the start of his three-day visit. - Reuters

BEIJING (Reuters): China and the Philippines should manage their differences properly, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Thursday (March 23), after the first in-person meeting between senior diplomats from the countries since before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bilateral tensions have risen recently over naval disputes in contested areas of the South China Sea and the increasing US military presence in the Philippines.