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Xi, Duterte Fail to Reach Agreement on South China Sea Issues

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Rodrigo Duterte meets Xi Jinping in Beijing on Aug. 29.
Rodrigo Duterte meets Xi Jinping in Beijing on Aug. 29.Photographer: How Hwee Young/Pool via Getty Images
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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s much-touted meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping yielded no agreement on the South China Sea territorial dispute between the two nations or a plan to explore the area for oil and gas.

Instead, Xi and Duterte agreed to form committees to advance oil exploration talks, with the goal of lifting a Philippine moratorium on existing contracts, Manila’s envoy to Beijing Chito Sta. Romana told Bloomberg TV.