MANILA —The Philippines and China have committed to de-escalate tensions in the South China Sea and resolve disagreement through diplomacy, Manila’s foreign ministry said in a statement released on Thursday.
The two sides had “frank and productive discussions” during the 8th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea in Shanghai, the ministry said.
— Reporting by Karen Lema and Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor