Beijing, Manila set talks on S. China Sea for May

China and the Philippines will hold their first meeting under a bilateral consultation arrangement on the South China Sea in May, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

China has invited officials from the Philippines' Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attend the meeting in China, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular news briefing.

Beijing and Manila are engaged in "friendly discussions" on details of the meeting, she said.