Beijing: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks on Sunday with visiting Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin in Tunxi, China.

This meeting comes amid tension between the two countries over the territorial dispute in the South China Sea (SCS).

Both have been involved in a confrontation over Beijing's intrusion into Manila's Exclusive economic zone. China claims it has the exclusive right to make, and execute its own laws, encapsulated by the creation of artificial islands.

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea based on its so-called 'nine-dash line' that the international court ruled without merit five years ago.

During the meeting between Wang Yi and Locsin on Sunday, the two sides exchanged views on the SCS issue and held that maritime issues should be placed in an appropriate position in bilateral relations.

Wang said China always takes the Philippines as a priority in its neighbourhood diplomacy, and China's good-neighbourly and friendly policy toward the Philippines has maintained continuity and stability, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The two sides should remove disturbances, calmly and properly manage differences and not let them affect the overall situation of China-Philippines relations, Wang said.

China is ready to speed up the construction of key infrastructure projects with the Philippines, and continue to provide COVID-19 vaccine assistance to the Philippines, Wang said.