The Philippines’ ex-President Fidel Ramos has called for formal talks with China to resolve the South China Sea (SCS) issue after meeting Chinese officials during a visit to Hong Kong in the wake of an international tribunal's verdict that rejected China’s claims over the area. Ramos, who was appointed as the special envoy by President Rodrigo Duterte for his contacts in the higher echelons of the Chinese Government, held talks with Fu Ying, Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of China's National People's Congress, and Wu Shicun, president of the National Institute for SCS studies in the last few days.