Philippine-Chinese ties have frayed in recent years due to growing tensions over conflicting claims in the South China Sea. MANILA - Ex-Philippine president Fidel Ramos left for Hong Kong on Monday to "rekindle" ties with Beijing that have soured over a territorial dispute in the South China Sea. "I am just the icebreaker, to rekindle, to warm up again our good, friendly relations with China," Ramos, who served as president form 1992 to 1998, said. A longtime advocate of closer Philippine-Chinese ties, Ramos said he would be gone for four to five days to meet with old Chinese contacts. Ties between Manila and Beijing have cooled especially since a UN-backed tribunal handed the Philippines a sweeping victory last month when it ruled that China's claims over most of the South China Sea were invalid.

Source: Bangkok Post August 08, 2016 10:30 UTC