Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian paid a courtesy visit to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu on Thursday to discuss possible collaboration between the PCG and its counterpart in China.

Abu said the visit was to “review friendly exchanges and cooperation” between the PCG and the China Coast Guard (CCG).

“We look forward to exchanging views on possible capacity-building activities between the CCG and PCG to strengthen rapport and confidence among the Philippine Coast Guard and the China Coast Guard to promote peace and stability in the region,” Abu said in a Facebook post on Thursday.

During the meeting, Huang said he expected “fruitful discussions” and developments on possible collaboration between the two countries.

“I sincerely hope that the PCG and CCG would further strengthen cooperation to promote peace and stability in the region,” he said.

The visit came in the wake of a diplomatic protest filed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) against China’s annual fishing ban in the South China Sea for covering areas within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

The DFA said the ban extends “far beyond China’s legitimate maritime entitlements under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”

In April, the DFA also summoned a senior official of the Chinese Embassy to protest the alleged harassment in the West Philippine Sea by the CCG of the Taiwanese vessel RV Legend, a research ship with Filipino scientists on board. (PNA) 

Photo Credit: Facebook/Philippine Coast Guard