China and the Philippines convened the Third Meeting of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea (BCM) Thursday in Beijing, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate and to continue to find ways to strengthen mutual trust and confidence going forward.

Noting that the proper management of disputes in the South China Sea is vital to safeguard regional peace and stability, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of freedom of navigation in and above the South China Sea, freedom of international commerce and other peaceful uses of the sea. The two agreed to address territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, through friendly consultations and negotiations by the sovereign states directly concerned, instead of resorting to threats or the use of force.

Both sides acknowledged the importance of the BCM as a venue for enhanced and regular dialogue that can play a significant role in the stable development of bilateral relations, through which both sides could address their differences, prevent and properly manage incidents at sea and enhance maritime dialogue and cooperation.

The delegations of the two sides were headed by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou and his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo.

The Fourth Meeting of the BCM will be held in the Philippines in the first half of 2019.