Manila: The Philippines on Thursday welcomed newly-elected Chinese President Xi Jinping and sought to build bilateral "mutual trust and cooperation" amid territorial disputes.
The Philippines will continue to "seek all opportunities to help build a climate of mutual trust and cooperation" with the People`s Republic of China, an official statement said.
The island nation looks forward to "opportunities for positive engagement fortified by trust, good will, and cooperation, for the mutual benefit of all peoples in our region and around the world," the statement said.
China and the Philippines are locked in territorial dispute over the resource rich areas in South China Sea.
In January this year, the Philippines intimated China that it was taking the issue to international arbitration.
PTI
