Bejing, Manila to discuss Spratlys

Bejing, Manila to discuss Spratlys

MANILA (AFP): Philippine foreign department officials hope to discuss with their Chinese counterparts over the weekend recent events in the disputed Spratlys island chain, a foreign official confirmed yesterday.

Foreign Undersecretary Rodolfo Severino will leave for Langkawi in Malaysia tomorrow for the senior officials' meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the official said.

The visit to Langkawi is an opportunity for Severino to meet with Chinese officials on the sidelines of the ARF meeting to discuss diplomatic protests Manila and Beijing hurled at each other over alleged intrusions in the Spratlys and surrounding reefs which are claimed by both countries.

Manila protested to Beijing on May 7 that four armed Chinese vessels approached two islets garrisoned by Philippine troops in the Spratlys.