China and Philippines taking ‘baby steps’ towards better relations: Manila’s ambassador
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- Philippines is pursuing a “new equilibrium” with China, emphasizing stable, predictable ties and incremental "baby steps" before tackling contentious issues.
- China remains the Philippines’ largest trading partner, and Manila is pushing for more trade, investment, tourism, and people‑to‑people exchanges as part of the reset.
- Jaime FlorCruz warned that economic cooperation must not become leverage in the South China Sea dispute, citing Beijing’s past use of trade bans as pressure.
- Ferdinand Marcos Jr announced a "very, very serious restructuring" of Manila‑Beijing relations, calling it a reset that is "happening now."
- South China Sea tensions persist, with recent joint patrols and senior‑level talks marking the first diplomatic engagement in three years.
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