The Philippines and China discussed setting up a "two-track" system that would allow them to cooperate in some areas while separately handling "contentious issues" such as their South China Sea territorial dispute, a Manila envoy said Saturday.

Former president Fidel Ramos and ex-interior secretary Rafael Alunan discussed the proposal at meetings with Chinese representatives in Hong Kong on a trip aimed at improving relations.

Ramos, a longtime advocate of closer ties, said the talks were "very hospitable... very encouraging, in the sense that we have a common interest" in such goals as fighting global warming.

They met with Fu Ying, chair of the foreign affairs committee of the National People's Congress, China's communist-controlled legislature.

Alunan said both sides discussed "encouraging track two or think-tank exchanges... where we will be discussing contentious issues."

"That would relieve us (of) the burden of discussing contentious issues because we have another group doing that while we explore ways and means on how to move our relations forward," he told reporters.

He did not say which "think-tanks" would be involved in these issues, apparently referring to the two countries' territorial dispute over the South China Sea.

When asked if they discussed a UN-backed tribunal's ruling last month that Beijing's claims over most of the South China Sea were invalid, Ramos said "we never mentioned that."

The decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration was widely seen as a victory for the Philippines which has challenged China's claims to the vital waterway.

China refused to recognise the decision and had demanded that the Philippines disregard it in future talks. The Philippines rejected this.

Both Ramos and Alunan stressed that they were only informal envoys and that further formal talks would be handled by other parties.

Ramos said they also "talked about fishing," referring to China driving away Filipino fishermen from a shoal it occupied in 2012 after a stand-off with Philippine authorities.

The shoal is 230 kilometres (140 miles) off the main Philippine island of Luzon and 650 kilometres from Hainan island, the nearest major Chinese landmass.

Ramos said he discussed restoring the previous situation where Chinese, Filipino and even Vietnamese fishermen freely plied their trade in the Scarborough Shoal.

However both Ramos and Alunan said the Chinese side made no commitments and merely noted their proposals.

While the territorial dispute has strained ties, new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has previously said he would seek Chinese help for vital infrastructure projects.

Ex-Philippine leader meets senior China official to mend ties
Hong Kong (AFP) Aug 12, 2016 - Former Philippine leader Fidel Ramos said Friday he had met with a senior Chinese official during a trip to Hong Kong aimed at improving ties between Manila and Beijing, with both sides working towards formal discussions.

Relations have cooled since a UN-backed tribunal ruled last month that China's claims over most of the South China Sea were invalid, in a sweeping victory for the Philippines which brought the case.

Ramos -- a longtime advocate of closer Philippine-Chinese ties -- was sent as a conciliatory envoy by current Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte.

In a two-day meeting in Hong Kong, Ramos said he had discussions with Madam Fu Ying, chair of the foreign affairs committee of the National People's Congress -- China's communist-controlled legislature. Fu Ying is a former ambassador to Manila.

He also met with Wu Shichun, president of China's National Institute of South China Seas Studies.

In a statement signed by Ramos, Fu Ying and Wu, the meeting was described as between "old friends" and had taken place "in a friendly atmosphere".

It listed seven topics that had been covered, including marine preservation and co-operation on crime-fighting and smuggling.

Ramos told reporters they had not discussed territorial disputes in the South China Sea, but had talked about fishing rights there.

"They discussed, in their private capacity, the way forward in the spirit of universal brotherhood and sisterhood for peace and cooperation between the two countries," the joint statement said.

It added that all parties "looked forward" to the start of formal talks which it said would be continued in Beijing and Manila.

Ramos said there would be a second round of discussions soon.

"As to where this will take place we don't know yet. We have to go back to Manila to find out the latest developments on the official side," he said.

Ramos took his characteristic informal approach to the press conference, asking reporters to stand beside him to ask questions and pose for the cameras, and telling one journalist to hold his stomach in while he spoke.

Philippine-Chinese ties have frayed in recent years due to tensions over Beijing's claims to almost all the South China Sea.

The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have competing partial claims and are perturbed by China's aggressive moves to assert its sovereignty such as by reclaiming islands and building airstrips.

China has angrily refused to recognise last month's tribunal decision.