Vice President Sara Duterte is considering boosting the Philippines' relations with China through education and youth development.
At the celebration of the 74th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China, Duterte said she has taken "a particular interest in strengthening" the country's cooperation with China in such fields as both countries "undertake efforts to further strengthen our relations."
"May we continue to pursue avenues and opportunities that will result in mutually beneficial outcomes for our peoples," the Vice President, who is currently in South Korea, said in a recorded video message on Thursday night.
Duterte expressed confidence that the "coming decades will bear witness to China's continued growth and progress."
She also hoped that the Philippines-China partnership will prosper, especially in agriculture, trade, investment, science and technology and people-to-people—areas which President Marcos and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to pursue.
Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said the relations between the two countries "are at a key time."
Despite the dispute in the South China Sea, Huang said that it must not define the Philippines-China relations and any misunderstanding "must be properly managed through friendly consultation."
Huang also said to implement consensus between the two countries' heads of state and stay firmly in the right direction, "unaffected by irritants."
He called on both sides to "step up cooperation so as to make sure that such relations will sail through and bring more benefit to our peoples and contribution to regional peace and stability."