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With the impending leadership change in Beijing, the Philippines on Thursday said it hopes for a better relationship with China following several months of intensified territorial disputes between the two Asian neighbors.

“We wish China a smooth generational leadership change and we look forward to working with the incoming leaders in forging a positive, peaceful and stable relationship with China,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

“We hope that our political bilateral relations would improve, and that economic cooperation and people-to-people ties would continue to flourish for the benefit of our peoples,” it added.

The Philippines and China, along with Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have long disputed ownership of the West Philippine Sea or also known as the South China Sea, a chain of islands, cays, reefs and atolls believed to be rich in oil and gas.

The disputed territories also straddle busy shipping routes and have been known to be teeming with fish and other marine resources.

Last year, the Philippines and Vietnam separately accused Chinese vessels of intruding into their territories in and near the Spratlys off the West Philippine Sea and of disrupting their oil exploration activities.

But China has claimed it has sovereignty in those areas on historical grounds. - PNA

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