The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday said new Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang will arrive for an official visit from April 21 to 23.

“Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister (SCFM) Qin Gang will undertake an official visit to the Philippines from 21 to 23 April 2023, at the invitation of Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo,” the DFA said in a statement.

The three-day official visit, the DFA said, “continues the series of high-level interactions between the Philippines and China” following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to China in early January.

Manalo and Qin “will exchange views on the outcomes of the Philippines-China Foreign Ministry Consultations and Bilateral Consultations Mechanism on the South China Sea that were held back-to-back in Manila last March.”

The meeting comes as China recently opposed by decision by the Philippines to grant US military forces access to four more sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) in northern Luzon.

Chinese officials claim this will be used by the US to possibly intervene in the Taiwan issue. DMS