The Philippines and China resumed on Thursday, Jan. 30, one of their most anticipated bilateral discussions—a political dialogue on maritime issues and other mutual interests—in a move that came as the two sides expressed willingness to end the long-running conflict in the South China Sea. The Philippines hosted the talk with China at the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings in Cebu. High-ranking diplomats from both sides attended the bilateral discussion, which included the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary for Policy Leo Herrera-Lim and Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs Marshall Louis Alferez, as well as the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs Director-General Hou Yanqi.

Pedrajas, J. (2026, January 31). PH, China resume political dialogue to discuss maritime issues. Manila Bulletin, pp. 1, 7.