Gyeongju: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping on China’s assumption of the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) chairmanship. This gesture comes amid ongoing maritime tensions between Manila and Beijing in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

According to Philippines News Agency, the two leaders met during the symbolic turnover ceremony of APEC’s chairmanship at the Hwabaek International Convention Center in Gyeongju. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung officially handed over the hosting duties to Xi Jinping at the close of the 2025 summit.

President Marcos expressed his congratulations to President Xi in a social media post, emphasizing the Philippines’ commitment to partnership and cooperation in the region. This move highlights the Philippines’ strategic approach of maintaining dialogue with China under APEC’s economic framework, while also strengthening its defense and economic ties with the United States and regional allies.

Xi Jinping’s upcoming APEC chairmanship is anticipated to challenge Beijing’s capacity to lead regional cooperation amid increasing geopolitical rivalries and a rapidly evolving global trade environment. During the summit, Xi also held a significant bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump, marking their first face-to-face encounter since tensions escalated over trade and security issues.