By Sun Chongfeng
MANILA, Jan. 17 -- The third meeting of the Joint Coast Guard Committee (JCGC) on Maritime Cooperation between the China Coast Guard (CCG) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) was held from January 14 to 16 in Manila to deepen maritime cooperation between the two sides. Major General Wang Zhongcai, director-general of CCG, and Vice Admiral Joel Sarsiban Garcia, 28th Commandant of PCG, co-chaired the meeting.
The meeting discussed and identified the next cooperation projects and new cooperation fields, in a bid to enhance mutual trust and ensure win-win outcomes in maritime operations. Both sides agreed to give due attention to the safety and protection of fishermen.
Both sides also emphasized the commitments to deepening cooperation between China-Philippine coast guards, jointly addressing maritime emergencies, humanitarian and environmental protection concerns, and building the South China Sea into a sea of peace, stability and prosperity.
It is agreed by both sides that the fourth meeting of the JCGC on Maritime Cooperation will be held in China within the year.
Along with the Chinese delegation to the meeting, the CCG Vessel 5204 also paid a port call to the Philippines. It has successfully carried out a joint maritime exercise on search and rescue and firefighting at sea with the PCG, providing new opportunities for the two agencies to deepen pragmatic cooperation in maritime law enforcement and enhance friendship and mutual trust.
In October 2016, China and the Philippines signed the MOU between PCG and CCG on the establishment of the JCGC on Maritime Cooperation. The first and second meetings of JCGC on Maritime Cooperation were held in Subic of the Philippines and Guangzhou of China in 2017 and 2018 respectively.