Beijing-Manila cooperation on practical areas

As Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's special envoy, Fidel Ramos has become an icebreaker in Sino-Philippine relations. Former Philippine president Ramos' recent visit to Hong Kong to meet with "Chinese friends", including senior diplomat Fu Ying, is a good start to ease the tensions after an arbitral tribunal ruled in favor of Manila in a South China Sea dispute with Beijing last month.

But the question now is: How the two sides can improve relations? Under current circumstances, the rational choice would be to conduct practical cooperation for the benefit of both sides while keeping a low profile on the diplomatic front.

Since being elected in May Duterte seems to have adjusted the foreign policy of his predecessor Benigno Aquino III. Duterte is much friendlier toward China and has met with the Chinese ambassador to Manila a few times.