Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (R) meets with the visiting Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense General Wei Fenghe (L) in Manila on the afternoon of September 11, 2020. (mod.gov.cn)

MANILA, Philippines Sept. 12 -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met with the visiting Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense General Wei Fenghe in Manila on the afternoon of September 11, 2020.

Duterte said that the delegation is the first high-level one to visit the Philippines since the COVID-19 pandemic, showing that China attaches great importance to the China-Philippine relations. Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Philippine side hereby expresses congratulations on it, he stated.

Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe (1st R) holds official talks with Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (1st L) in Manila, the Philippines, Sept. 11, 2020.(mod.gov.cn)

After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese government and military provided a large amount of selfless assistance to the Philippines, and the Philippines side is sincerely grateful for that, he added.

Maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea is in the common interests of all countries in the region. It is hoped that all parties will resolve their conflicts and differences through friendly consultations on the basis of respect for international law, and jointly achieve long-term peace and stability in the South China Sea, Duterte expressed.

General Wei Fenghe said that China and Philippine enjoy a long-established friendship, and the relations between the two countries continue to make new progress under the joint guidance of President Xi Jinping and His Excellency the President Duterte. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries support each other, which reflect the good-neighborly and friendly relations of mutual assistance.

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (R) holds a welcoming ceremony for the visiting Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe (L) on the morning of September 11, 2020. (mod.gov.cn)

The Chinese military is willing to develop closer and more pragmatic cooperation with the Philippine military, said Wei. Maintaining the stability of the South China Sea is the shared responsibility of the two countries. It is necessary to persist in resolving issues within the region through consultations, strengthen communication and coordination, so as to properly manage differences, and jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the South China Sea, Wei added.

On Friday morning, General Wei Henghe also held talks with Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. They exchanged views on the international and regional situations, the relations between the two countries and the two militaries, the South China Sea issue, etc.