Lorenzana meets Chinese Defense Minister Wei

September 13, 2020

Defense Secretary Delfin  Lorenzana met with General Wei Fenghe,  the Minister of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China Friday at Camp Aguinaldo.

Secretary Lorenzana and General Wei discussed a range of issues affecting the  defense relations of both countries.

''Today marks the most recent visit of China’s Minister of National Defense to the  Philippines following similar visits in 2002, 2007, 2011 and 2017,” Lorenzana  said. 

Both defense leaders exchanged best practices in responding to the COVID-19  pandemic. They also agreed to continue working on revisiting the 2004 Philippines-China  Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Defense Cooperation that will be more  responsive to current situations. 

Lorenzana and Wei discussed the issues on the South China Sea  (SCS), how to avoid misunderstanding, and to resolve differences amicably. Both agreed  that peace and stability in the SCS should be maintained. 

Both also talked about the early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the SCS. 

Lorenzana expressed his optimism that his meeting with Wei will  foster collaboration between both countries’ defense establishments, and advance mutual  trust and interests for future exchanges on matters of security and mutual concern. 

After the bilateral meeting, Lorenzana and Wei signed the implementing guidelines for the implementation of a 130 million renminbi ( P1 billion) grant that China is  giving to the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the form of equipment, especially for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Both have expressed the desire to continue this form of dialogue in the future. DND Public Affairs Service