China, Philippines to manage S. China Sea differences peacefully

The leaders of China and the Philippines have agreed to “appropriately manage differences” over the situation in the South China Sea “through peaceful means,” emphasizing that maritime issues “do not comprise the sum total” of bilateral relations, their joint statement showed Thursday.

During their summit talks Wednesday in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed on the peaceful resolution of territorial disputes and reaffirmed the importance of the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, the statement said.

China, t...