In a new joint statement made public by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, China and the Philippines stated their agreement to establish direct communication channels on the South China Sea and resolve differences amicably.

The governments reiterated the importance of preserving and advancing regional peace, stability, and freedom of navigation and overflight. Both parties have also pledged to increase their bilateral commerce in an effort to equal or exceed the pre-pandemic amount.

In the midst of rising tensions over the hotly contested South China Sea, the two nations pledged to settle maritime disputes through conversation on Wednesday, when Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited Beijing.

The South China Sea is the source of contention between China and the Philippines, with Beijing asserting sovereignty over nearly the whole region despite a judgment by an international court that found Beijing's claims to be without merit.

As a result of reports that China had begun reclaiming some empty land features near the Spratly Islands, Manila ordered its military to increase its presence in the disputed waters where the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei all have overlapping claims.

At a meeting on Wednesday, Marcos Jr. and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping both called for "friendly consultation to appropriately resolve maritime issues".

Marcos Jr. stated before traveling to Beijing that he hoped to address "political security issues of a bilateral and regional nature" and has vowed to not allow China to infringe on the Philippines' maritime rights in the area. Aiming to "contribute more positive energy to regional peace and stability" and "promote cooperation on oil and gas development in non-disputed areas".

The two sides also talked about collaborating in the agricultural and medical spheres and inked a number of agreements for joint ventures in infrastructure, fisheries, tourism, and other industries. In reference to the area of the South China Sea that it claims, the Philippine government stated last week that both parties would sign a communication agreement to "avoid miscalculation and miscommunication in the West Philippine Sea".

In a meeting with top Chinese legislator Li Zhanshu earlier on Wednesday, Marcos Jr. stated that Manila believes it is "of primary importance to ... strengthen the relationship between China and the Philippines".

According to a statement from the Philippine presidential office, a total of 14 agreements were signed on Wednesday, including pacts on tourism, development cooperation, marine security, infrastructure, agriculture, and more. They referred to one another as "close neighbors, kin and partners that help and understand each other towards win-win results through mutually beneficial cooperation" in their joint statement.