On February 17, 2023, Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong had a phone call with Undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Theresa P. Lazaro.

Sun Weidong said that President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. paid a successful state visit to China at the beginning of the new year, and the two heads of state reached important common understandings on deepening bilateral relations. China is ready to work with the Philippines to earnestly implement the common understandings between the two presidents and promote the steady and sound development of China-Philippines relations. Lazaro said that President Marcos’ visit to China not long ago was a great success, and she looks forward to working with the Chinese side to implement the common understandings reached between leaders of the two countries.

The two sides exchanged views on maritime issues between China and the Philippines in a candid and in-depth manner, and both agreed to continue to maintain close communication at all levels through bilateral mechanisms, to properly handle maritime differences, and jointly uphold the overall interests of China-Philippines relations and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.