Ex-Philippine leader meets senior China official to mend ties Former Philippine leader Fidel Ramos says 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. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES