Former President Fidel V. Ramos on Tuesday said he wanted to focus on points of common interest with China such as tourism and commercial fishing as part of efforts to smooth relations with Beijing roiled by the South China Sea dispute. President Duterte has asked the 88-year-old Ramos to act as his special envoy to pave the way for talks with Beijing after a ruling last month by an international arbitration tribunal invalidated China’s expansive territorial claims in a case put forward by the Philippines. Ramos spoke with reporters on Tuesday in Hong Kong, where he said he planned to meet old friends with links to officials in Beijing as a prelude to further contacts.

FVR mission to focus on tourism, fishing. (2016, August 10). Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A13.