Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. started a three-day trip to China on Tuesday, with the leader expected to broach the issue of the South China Sea, where Manila has overlapping territorial claims with Beijing, as both countries set a fresh tone for their relations.
The trip marks Marcos' first state visit outside Southeast Asia since he took office in June last year. His predecessor Rodrigo Duterte was known for his appeasement of Beijing, taking an accommodating stance toward China's incursions in waters claimed by Manila in exchange for promised investment from the major Asian economy.
In a speech before departing Manila, Marcos said he is looking forward to meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping "as we work toward shifting the trajectory of our relations to a higher gear" that will hopefully bring numerous prospects and abundant opportunities for the peace and development of both countries.