China has agreed to prioritize backchannel talks with the Philippines as confrontations in the West Philippine Sea continue to strain relations. The commitment came after a meeting between Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan and Philippine Senator Erwin Tulfo, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Both sides signaled a preference for quieter diplomacy over public exchanges. The purpose of this is to reduce media escalation, reopen communication lines, and prevent incidents at sea from spiraling into a broader crisis.
But while the tone may appear to be softening, developments on the water tell a more cautious story.
Diplomatic Reset or Tactical Pause?
The renewed engagement comes amid ongoing negotiations over a long-discussed Code of Conduct between China and ASEAN, targeted for completion by December 2026. A separate arrangement between the Philippine Coast Guard and China Coast Guard aims to improve coordination on search and rescue, environmental
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