BEIJING, China – Napagkasunduan nina Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at Chinese President Xi Jinping ang kooperasyon ng coast guards ng Filipinas at China partikular para matugunan ang mga maritime emergency situations sa West Philippine Sea.
Nakapaloob sa kasunduan na layunin nitong magtulungan ang dalawang coast guard saka-ling magka-aberya sa karagatan at mapangalagaan ang mga yamang dagat o marine environment.
Nakasaad din dito ang pagkilala ng dalawang bansa sa international law gaya ng UNCLOS na pinagtibay noong 1982.
Magugunitang ilang teritoryo sa South China Sea o West Philippine Sea ay ugat ng tensiyon ng China at Filipinas, bagay na sinasabing napahupa sa State Visit ni Pangulong Duterte sa Beijng.
“Both sides commit to enhance cooperation between their respective Coast Guards, to address maritime emergency incidents, as well as humanitarian and environmental concerns in the South China Sea, such as safety of lives and property at sea and the protection and preservation of the marine environment, in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law including the 1982 UNCLOS,” ani Duterte at Xi sa joint statement.