(AFP)The Philippines and China pledged on Saturday to work together to resolve their maritime differences in the South China Sea, where the two have competing claims, and to deepen bilateral ties. Manila's relations with Beijing are more than just their differences over the South China Sea, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said as he began talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Manila. The two neighbors need to work together to continue a tradition of friendship, deepen cooperation and properly resolve differences, Qin said in his opening remarks. More than 17,000 Philippine and U.S. soldiers are conducting their largest ever joint military drills in the Southeast Asian country, drawing criticism from Beijing, Manila's rival in the South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines have competing claims in portions of the waterway.
