Full Text: Joint Statement of China and the Philippines (2)

. China expresses readiness to provide assistance to the Philippines in building scientific research industrial system and in science and technology training. Both sides are willing to explore the possibility of jointly building technology transfer centers, joint laboratories, and science and technology resources sharing platforms.

32. Recognizing the growing two-way tourist arrivals in the past few years and noting momentum that will be driven by the "ASEAN-China Year of Tourism" in 2017, both sides agree to set the goal of intensifying tourism cooperation. Both sides will encourage their citizens to travel to each other's country, explore the possible increase in capacity entitlements in air services, and encourage airlines to open new flights between Philippine cities, including Davao City and other cities in Visayas and Mindanao, and Chinese cities, which will contribute to the realization of this objective.

33. Both sides encourage the universities of the two countries to promote meaningful exchanges in the field of research and innovation and to strengthen academic exchanges and the model of university-research-industry communications and cooperation. China expresses readiness to increase allocation of Chinese Government Scholarship for the Philippines in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

34. Both sides agree to encourage mutual visits of media personnel, exchange of media products, cooperation in facilities, technologies and training between Chinese media and Philippine media including the People' s Broadcasting Corporation. The competent media authority of China is willing to enhance exchanges and cooperation with the Presidential Communication Office of the Philippines.

35. Both sides express interest in increasing twinning agreements between their cities and provinces, noting that these arrangements will encourage mutual understanding between their peoples and tap cooperation potentials at the local level.

36. Both sides agree to cooperate in emergency assistance and disaster relief.

37. Both sides reaffirm the importance of further implementing the "Executive Program of Cultural Agreement between the Philippines and China, 2015-2018" and encouraged their cultural institutions and groups to increase exchange of visits. Both sides will positively consider setting up their respective culture centers in each other's country.

38. Both sides attach importance to people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, noting that 2017 marks 600 years of friendly contacts between the Sultanate of Sulu and China, and the Philippines and China expressed interest in holding relevant commemorative activities.

39. Both sides will explore other areas of bilateral cooperation including in information technology, health, customs cooperation, research and development, education, and other fields that will be mutually beneficial to both countries.

40.Both sides exchange views on issues regarding the South China Sea. Both sides affirm that contentious issues are not the sum total of the China-Philippines bilateral relationship. Both sides exchange views on the importance of handling the disputes in the South China Sea in an appropriate manner. Both sides also reaffirm the importance of maintaining and promoting peace and stability, freedom of navigation in and over-flight above the South China Sea, addressing their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to the threat or use of force, through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned, in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and the 1982 UNCLOS.

41. Both sides recall the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States and China on the Full and Effective Implementation of the DOC adopted in Vientiane on 25 July 2016. Both sides commit to the full and effective implementation of DOC in its entirety, and work substantively toward the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) based on consensus.

42. Both sides agree to continue discussions on confidence-building measures to increase mutual trust and confidence and to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities in the South China Sea that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability. In this regard, in addition to and without prejudice to other mechanisms, a bilateral consultation mechanism can be useful, which will meet regularly on current and other issues of concern to either side on the South China Sea. Both sides also agree to explore other areas of cooperation.

43. China expresses support for the Philippines' chairmanship of ASEAN in 2017. Both sides express satisfaction with the growth of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations over the past 25 years and affirmed their commitment to the principle of ASEAN centrality in the evolving regional architecture. China affirms support for ASEAN integration, ASEAN Community Building, as well as ASEAN's efforts in realizing ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together.

44. Both sides affirm their continued cooperation in UN, ASEAN Regional Forum, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Asia-Europe Meeting, World Trade Organization, UN Climate Change Conference and other regional and multilateral organizations.

45. Both sides reaffirm adherence to sovereign equality, non-intervention, and non-interference enshrined in the UN Charter and reiterate their common commitment for the protection and promotion of human rights through dialogue and cooperation in light of the core human rights instruments to which both countries are parties to.

46. Both sides support the enhancement of the UN's role through necessary and reasonable reforms. Both sides held that pushing for the implementation of development issues, upholding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, enhancing the voice and representation of developing countries in international affairs should be the priorities in the reform of the UN, including the Security Council, and increasing the role of developing countries in UN decision-making.

47. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte expressed appreciation for the warm welcome extended by the Chinese side. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte invited President Xi Jinping to visit the Philippines at a convenient time. President Xi Jinping accepted the invitation with pleasure. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte also said that he looked forward to welcoming Chinese leaders to the ASEAN and Related Summits in 2017.

ANNEX

List of Signed Cooperation Documents

1. Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines

2. Memorandum of Understanding between the National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China and the National Economic and Development Authority of the Republic of the Philippines for Developing Cooperation on Production Capacity and Investment

3. Memorandum of Understanding between the National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Works and Highways of the Republic of the Philippines on Transportation Infrastructure Cooperation Project List

4. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Commerce of the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Trade and Industry of the Republic of the Philippines on Strengthening Bilateral Trade, Investment and Economic Cooperation

5. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China and the National Economic and Development Authority of the Republic of the Philippines on Formulation of the Development Program for Economic Cooperation

6. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Finance of the Republic of the Philippines on Supporting the Conduct of Feasibility Studies for Major Projects

7. Action Plan on Agricultural Cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines 2017-2019

8. Memorandum of Agreement between the State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China and the Presidential Communications Operations Office of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines on News, Information Exchange, Training and for other Purposes

9. Memorandum of Understanding between the General Administration of Quality Supervision Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines on Cooperation of Animal and Plant Inspection and Quarantine

10. Memorandum of Understanding between the China Coast Guard and the Philippine Coast Guard on the Establishment of a Joint Coast Guard Committee on Maritime Cooperation

11. Implementation Program of the Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation between the National Tourism Administration of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Tourism of the Republic of the Philippines 2017-2022

12. Protocol on Cooperation between the Narcotics Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China and the Philippines Drug Enforcement Agency

13. Memorandum of Understanding on Financing Cooperation between the Export-Import Bank of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, represented by the Department of Finance Endi