The Philippines is actively urging Chinese President Xi Jinping to personally attend the upcoming 49th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in mid-November, expressing hope that direct engagement could help address maritime disputes in the South China Sea. Malacañang said a face-to-face meeting with the Chinese leader offers the best path toward resolving territorial disagreements.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, speaking from the presidential palace, articulated the administration’s view, stating that President Xi’s presence would provide a "better opportunity" to address existing rifts and foster diplomatic resolution.
This urgent call for high-level Chinese participation arrives amid a period of pronounced friction between Manila and Beijing over contested maritime features, which the Philippines refers to as the West Philippine Sea. Just last week, a diplomatic incident unfolded when China accused the Philippines of intentionally obstructing its Defense Minister’s attendance at the 13th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) held in Cebu. Beijing claimed Manila undermined the spirit of ASEAN’s inclusivity. The Philippines swiftly rejected these allegations, with Ms. Castro clarifying that China was indeed represented at the meeting by its defense attaché to the Philippines, Senior Captain Yang Lei.
Multiple ASEAN member states, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines, have competing claims against China’s expansive assertions over the resource-rich waters. A landmark 2016 international arbitral ruling, initiated by the Philippines, largely invalidated Beijing's historical claims, yet China has consistently rejected this decision, continuing its assertive actions across the disputed region.
President Xi's potential attendance at the ASEAN Summit would be a departure from recent practice. Traditionally, China dispatches its Premier, not its President, to these annual gatherings. Indeed, as recently as 2025, it was Premier Li Qiang who represented Beijing at the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur. President Xi last participated virtually in 2021 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the China-ASEAN dialogue partnership.
Despite Manila's open invitation and expressions of hope, as of November 3, 2026, Malacañang’s Department of Foreign Affairs has yet to receive official confirmation from Beijing regarding the leader of its delegation.
As ASEAN Chair for 2026, the Philippines has consistently articulated its intention to leverage this leadership role to champion maritime issues. A central goal is to push for the accelerated crafting of a legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. President Marcos Jr. personally extended an invitation to President Xi during a state visit to China in January 2023, where discussions on the West Philippine Sea featured prominently.
U.S. President Donald Trump has also confirmed his attendance at the discussions. His presence at the Manila gathering comes ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled from November 17 to 19.
Ms. Castro reiterated that the Philippines would not use its chairmanship to disadvantage any country.
The South China Sea is known for its rich fishing grounds, vast oil and natural gas reserves, and as a shipping lane through which trillions of dollars in global trade pass annually. China’s expansive nine-dash line claim, which asserts sovereignty over roughly 90 percent of the sea, directly conflicts with the exclusive economic zones and continental shelves of several ASEAN states. The 2016 arbitral tribunal ruled that China's claims had no legal basis under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a convention China itself has ratified. Despite this, Beijing has continued to build artificial islands, militarize features, and deploy its coast guard and maritime militia to assert its presence, leading to encounters with Philippine vessels and those of other claimants.