Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told a delegation from a Philippine foreign affairs committee in Beijing that ties had recently “sunk to a low edge for reasons everyone knows,” China’s Foreign Ministry said late on Tuesday. “At present, China-Philippine relations are at a new turning point,” the statement quoted Liu as saying. China “hopes the Philippines side can meet China halfway, appropriately handle disputes and push relations back onto the track of dialogue, consultation and friendly cooperation,” he said.

Clapano, J. R., Jaymalin, M., & Cervantes, D. (2016, September 15). Ties at a turning point, China tells Phl delegation. Philippine Star, p. 6.