LOOK: Chinese ambassador Jing Quan visits NBI

Amid calls for a ceasefire in the “word war” between Philippine and Chinese officials, Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan paid a visit to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), according to Reporter Christian Maño.

In January, tensions rose between the officials over Beijing’s actions in the West Philippine Sea.

Fifteen senators previously signed a resolution denouncing the recent public statements issued by the Chinese Embassy against Filipino officials, which they described as “contrary to accepted standards of diplomatic conduct and mutual respect between states.”

However, Senator Erwin Tulfo has called for a ceasefire, saying both parties need to tone down their rhetoric to allow negotiations on the crafting of a Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea to move forward.

In a Facebook post dated February 3, the Chinese Embassy said that "both sides agreed to maintain close communication and coordination, to jointly combat transnational crime, to provide more convenient and efficient services for Chinese citizens in the Philippines." 

It added that the two sides also agreed to "advance practical cooperation across various fields."

The Philippines has been pushing for the Code of Conduct to establish rules on resolving maritime disputes, preventing misunderstandings, and guiding the conduct of claimant states in contested areas. —VAL, GMA Integrated News