Marcos signals openness for dialogue after handshake with China leader

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s handshake with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) handover ceremony was seen as a subtle message of goodwill toward Beijing amid ongoing maritime tensions. While Marcos described the gesture as “common courtesy,” foreign policy expert Enrico Gloria viewed it as a “signal” that Manila remains open to “meaningful dialogue.” According to Gloria, the act “reminds us that the [tensions] are not the totality of the relationship.” Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. clarified, “We cannot put any meaning into the gesture of President Marcos of approaching President Xi Jinping,” emphasizing that Philippine policy will not change. Marcos told reporters that he took the chance to approach Xi and congratulate him as China assumes the APEC chairmanship in 2026. Gloria added that gestures like this one may open political space for rebuilding trust without implying any shift in Philippine foreign policy. He stressed that maritime confrontations in the West Philippine Sea reflect firm national interests on both sides, yet do not eliminate the possibility of civility and goodwill.