The Palace is hopeful that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the ASEAN Leaders' Summit this month after it sent its defense attaché to the 13th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Cebu last month.

"It would actually be much better if China's leadership attends because this is a better opportunity to discuss whatever issues there might be and have the chance to resolve them there," Palace Press Officer and Undersecretary Claire Castro told reporters in a press briefing on Tuesday.

"That is precisely what a summit is for—so that whatever issues exist within the region can be discussed and settled," she added.

On the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia last year, Marcos told the media that he will invite the Chinese president to Manila should the long-awaited Code of Conduct in the South China Sea be concluded this year.

During the recent Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Defense Ministers' Meeting - Plus (ADMM-Plus), China was represented by its Defense Attaché to the Philippines, Senior Captain Yang Lei.

Weeks before the Cebu meeting, the Philippines and China had been trading barbs over its maritime disputes.

The 49th ASEAN Leaders Summit will be hosted in Metro Manila from November 16–18, 2026. Robina Asido/PHS