Chinese president Xi Jinping and his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr agreed to strengthen economic ties and handle maritime issues in the South China Sea through “friendly consultations”, as Beijing seeks to salvage a relationship undermined by their territorial dispute.

After meeting in Beijing, the two leaders agreed to “continue to properly handle maritime issues through friendly consultations”, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

According to Marcos’s office, Xi vowed to extend assistance to the Philippines in areas including agriculture, energy and infrastructure. Marcos said the Philippines and China should strengthen their partnership to make both countries stable and strong and keep the region a driving force behind the global economy.