President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang agreed Saturday to further deepen Philippine-China relations.

The two leaders had a brief conversation on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Plus Three Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Marcos has accepted the invitation to visit China on a state visit in early January next year, according to Malacañang.

Speaking through an interpreter, Li said he believes there should be continued growth in the China-Philippines partnership, emphasizing that what the two countries have in common "far outweighs" their differences. The Philippine leader agreed with Li's view.

The Office of the Press Secretary said the Chinese premier expressed his eagerness to work with the Philippines and other ASEAN countries for peace and stability in the South China Sea on the basis of mutual respect and respect for the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.