Premier Li Keqiang called for joint efforts with the Philippines to explore oil and gas resources and safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea on Friday.

Li said during a meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte that China is willing to promote the sustained, steady and healthy development of bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect and mutually beneficial results.

He called for a better alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Philippines' Build, Build, Build program, saying that the two countries have far more common interests than conflicts.

He said China, with its utmost sincerity, is ready to make joint efforts with ASEAN countries, including the Philippines, to reach agreements on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea during the Philippines' term as ASEAN-China country coordinator, which runs till 2021.

Duterte said his country will work with China and other ASEAN countries to move forward with COC negotiations, a target for his term as president.

Western countries should not impede efforts by others as they are not part of the negotiations, he said.

The Philippines will never confront China, and the country is ready to move forward with the joint exploration of the oil and gas resources, he said.