The China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5204 arrived at Manila Port Area in the Philippines for a friendly visit on the morning of January 14, the first visit by a China Coast Guard vessel to the country, during which the two sides will hold a vessel open day, carry out joint search, rescue and firefighting exercises, and have friendship sports matches. Major General Wang Zhongcai, director-general of the CCG, will also visit the Philippines at the same time and attend the third official meeting of the China- Philippines Joint Coast Guard Committee (JCGC) in Manila.

The China-Philippines relation has witnessed continuous progress and many breakthroughs in recent years thanks to the united efforts of leaders on both sides. Their first purchase contract on D-series high-speed train and the joint development of maritime oil and gas resources all reflect both sides’ agreement to shelve divergences and focus on pragmatic cooperation for development. What signal does the CCG’s first visit to the Philippines send then?

The sound cooperation between Chinese and Philippine coast guards, which is a highlight in bilateral cooperation in recent years, signifies the deepening of bilateral relations.

The Philippine President Duterte’s visit to China in 2016 marked a turning point in their relations, after which the China- Philippines JCGC was formed in 2017. In the past three years, CCG and its Philippine counterpart PCG have maintained close contacts and frequent high-level exchanges and established the hotline mechanism to intensify communication in mutually agreed domains. The series of practical cooperation has kept cementing their mutual trust, paving the way for vessel visits. The high-level visit by CCG and the third JCGC meeting this time will further enhance the mutual understanding between Chinese and Philippine coast guards and give a new impetus to the healthy and stable development of China-Philippines ties.

Keeping the South China Sea stable is the common aspiration of China and the Philippines.

As we step into the year 2020, Black Swan events have kept happening around the world, and uncertainties and destabilizing factors have been piling up. Against such a background, the stable situation in the South China Sea is especially valuable. The closer coast guard cooperation in the beginning of 2020 demonstrates China and Philippines’ firm and proactive stance to jointly maintain lasting peace and order in the region, and is a powerful refutation to the recent jarring noises there. The Philippines and China are neighbors across the sea with a history of friendly exchanges for more than 2,000 years.

Today China and Philippines have left behind historical grudges, and taken the initiative in jointly developing maritime oil and gas resources. The current stability in the South China Sea is in the interests of all parties in the region. As the incumbent Country Coordinator of ASEAN-China Relations, the Philippines has extensive and in-depth consensus with China on safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea region.

At present, China and the Philippines are looking at new historical opportunities of cooperation. They will press ahead toward the common goal, expand the scope of cooperation, and work together to advance their comprehensive and strategic cooperation.

(The author is Zhang Liulu, commentator of haiwainet.cn)

Disclaimer: This article is originally published on haiwainet.cn, which is the website of Overseas Edition of the People's Daily. The article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.