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In a rare move, the Philippines and China have agreed to establish a direct communication line between their presidential offices to prevent new confrontations in the disputed South China Sea from escalating.

The agreement, signed by both countries, is intended to improve communication on maritime issues through designated representatives at the presidential level. In addition, both plan to establish a new communication channel between their coast guards once a memorandum of understanding is finalized. Previously, China and the Philippines established lower-level emergency hotlines to manage disputes, particularly in the highly contested shoals.

In a statement, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said, “Both sides recognized that there is a need to restore trust, rebuild confidence, and create conditions conducive to productive dialogue and interaction.” They added that “there was substantial progress on developing measures to manage the situation at sea.”

The move to create a more direct line of communication came after a significant confrontation back in August that involved a serious communication breakdown at the Second Thomas Shoal. During this incident, the Philippine government was unable to reach Chinese officials for hours. This issue, along with a violent clash in July where Chinese Coast Guard personnel injured Philippine Navy members, led to renewed efforts to establish more reliable and efficient communication channels.

Digging Deeper:
The Philippines has accused China of increasingly hostile actions and illegal encroachments on their territory, while China has complained about Philippine vessels entering their waters illegally. These ongoing territorial disputes have heightened concerns about a potential conflict, one that could involve the United States. As a key treaty ally, the US has warned China that it would be obligated to defend the Philippines if attacked.