China urges the Philippines to “seriously consider the future” of “those at the crossroads“ bilateral relations, he wrote in a commentary published against the backdrop of tensions in the South China Sea on the pages of the Zhenmin Zhibao newspaper, the printing organ of the ruling Communist Party, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
The Philippines and China have accused each other of deliberately colliding with coast guard vessels in the disputed waters in recent months.
The incidents undermine efforts by both sides to rebuild trust and better manage disputes, including by establishing new lines of communication when incidents occur in disputed waters.
„Sino-Philippines relations are at a crossroads, facing a choice of direction. "Dialogue and consultation are the right way, because there is no way out of the conflict through confrontation," the comment reads.
It added that Manila “should seriously reconsider the future of Sino-Philippines relations and work with China to put bilateral relations back on track”.
The commentary was published under the pseudonym “John Shen”, which means “The Voice of China”. This name is often used when presenting the newspaper's point of view on foreign policy issues.
Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, including parts of it claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. These waters, through which about three trillion dollars worth of trade passes annually, are believed to be rich in oil and natural gas, as well as fish.