China is expecting that the visit of its state councilor and foreign minister, Qin Gang, to the Philippines will improve the communication between the two countries amid different views on the South China Sea. Wang Wenbin, spokesman for Qin, said Beijing hopes that the foreign minister's trip to Manila, which is set  April 21 to 23, is expected to increase engagements between the two countries and "mutual trust." Beijing also expects to "properly handle differences, "deepen cooperation" and maintain the momentum of the bilateral ties between the two countries, Wang said in his regular press briefing on Friday. China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang. (Photo courtesy of China's Foreign Ministry)
Qin's visit will come as the Philippines, under the Marcos administration, starts pivoting its diplomatic priorities to the West, as compared to the Duterte administration. Beijing is trying to keep warm its relations with Manila amid its aggressive activities in the West Philippine Sea, which may have pushed the Philippines to seek support from the US. During his visit, Qin is scheduled to meet President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, according to Wang. He will also sit down with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo for their first in-person meeting. ["Both sides will discuss increasing and strengthening cooperation in the fields of agriculture, trade, energy, infrastructure, and people-to-people relations, among others," DFA said.](https://mb.com.ph/2023/4/18/china-s-top-diplomat-to-visit-ph) Worth noting is that the two sides "will also discuss regional security issues of mutual concern," according to DFA.