The Philippines and China had "frank and constructive" discussions on the issues surrounding the South China Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

In a statement on Thursday evening, Jan. 16, the DFA disclosed that Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong had engaged in "frank and constructive discussions on the situation in the South China Sea and other bilateral issues" during the 10th meeting of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea (BCM) Thursday in Xiamen, Fujian --- the hometown of the majority of Chinese Filipinos.

“Our position is clear and consistent, but so is our willingness to engage in dialogue," Lazaro said in her opening remarks.

"We firmly believe that despite the unresolved challenges and differences, there is genuine space for diplomatic and pragmatic cooperation in dealing with our issues in the South China Sea,” Lazaro added.

According to the DFA, both sides exchanged views on the Provisional Understanding of the Philippines’ rotation and reprovisioning (RORE) missions to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, acknowledged its positive outcomes, and agreed to continue its implementation to sustain the de-escalation of tensions without prejudice to respective national positions.

The Philippines also expressed serious concern about the recent incidents in the South China Sea, particularly the activities of Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels 5901, which is dubbed as a "monster ship," and 3103 in the Philippine maritime zones, stressing that such actions are inconsistent with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed to reinvigorate the platform for coast guard cooperation.

They also identified ocean meteorology as an area of focus for a workshop on marine scientific cooperation.

Lazaro told her counterpart that President Marcos has emphasized the Philippines’ commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and
diplomacy.

The Philippines will host the next BCM at a later date.