President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. will seek to resolve bilateral and regional issues with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their second in-person meeting in China that is scheduled to happen on Wednesday.

Marcos made the pronouncement on Tuesday before he left Manila for Beijing for a 48-hour state visit upon the invitation of his Chinese counterpart. The President said he looks "forward to discussing political-security issues of a bilateral and regional nature" with Xi.

"The issues between our two countries are problems that do not belong between two friends such as Philippines and China," he said. So, he added, "We will seek to resolve those issues to mutual benefit of our two countries."

Recently, the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest against China over the forcible taking of a rocket debris of the Chinese coast guard from the Philippine Navy—an incident that raised the concern of the Philippine military as well as of the country's lawmakers.

The Philippines is now also seeking clarification on a report that China continues to conduct reclamation activities in unoccupied land features in the South China Sea.

In his departure speech at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City, Marcos said he will build on the diplomatic relationship that the Philippines, through his parents, forged with China 47 years ago.

This, as he recalled how his mother, former first lady Imelda Marcos, laid the "groundwork" for its establishment, which his father, former President Marcos Sr. eventually formalized with former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in 1975.

"Since then, I have watched the development of our bilateral ties with great interest and attention. In undertaking this trip, I continue that legacy of strengthening the bonds of friendship established between the Filipino and Chinese peoples, and fostering bilateral ties to a higher plane of cooperation," he said.

On the other hand, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, science and technology, trade and investment, and people-to-people exchanges are among the areas of cooperation that Marcos will strengthen in his trip to China, his 7th foreign trip and his 1st non-ASEAN state visit since assuming the presidency.

"In this upcoming visit, we expect to sign more than 10 key bilateral agreements to add to the over 100 agreements we already have with China," he added, noting that China is the Philippines' top trading partner and a major source of official development assistance.

The President said he will also invite the Chinese people to return to the country as tourists, students and investors as the world starts to reopen after threats of Covid-19.

"Aside from sharing the wonders of our archipelago with our Chinese friends, strengthened people-to-people exchanges will allow us to bridge gaps in understanding between our two countries at every level. I shall push for the resumption of tourism and cultural cooperation between our two countries," he said.

In Beijing, Marcos said, he will find ways to harness the potentials of the two countries' "vibrant trade and investment relations as we accelerate the post-pandemic growth of our economy."

"I hope to return home to the Philippines with a harvest of agreements and investments that will benefit our countrymen and further strengthen the foundation of our economic environment," he added.