Roxas says talks with Chinese VP 'constructive'

Inner surface and Local Secretary Mar Roxas says his discussion with China’s Vice-President Xi Jinping was “constructive” and he is hopeful the Philippines and China can overcome their current difficulties.

Roxas is visiting China as being a special envoy after President Aquino did not meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in Russia earlier this 30 days.

Xi said he appreciates Roxas' visit, as it shows the value that President Aquino attaches to Philippines-China relations.

Xi also promised to bring Aquino’s message to Hu.

China’s state media Xinhua quoted Roxas as saying that the Philippines hopes to have helpful ties with China and overcome their current difficulties.

Meanwhile, Xi was quoted by Xinhua as saying that he hopes the “situation will not appear all the time, allowing bilateral relations to come back to the track of normal improvement. ”

“China-Philippine relations have stumbled upon some difficulties. However, through effective communication relating to the two sides, the situation received already eased, ” Xi explained.

No further details were provided about Xi and Roxas’s conference.

Roxas’s trip to China uses controversy broke out over Senator Antonio Trillanes’s backdoor negotiations with Chinese officials on the disputed Scarborough Shoal.

Earlier, Aquino said Trillanes will stay as negotiator.