Duterte visit signals constructive road ahead

Clouds over South China Sea begin to dissipate as Beijing welcomes new Philippine president

China and the Philippines agreed to address disputes in the South China Sea peacefully and with the sovereign states that are directly involved, according to a joint statement released on Friday during a state visit to Beijing by the island nation's President Rodrigo Duterte.

The statement highlighted "the importance of handling the disputes in the South China Sea in an appropriate manner".