BUSAN, Nov. 1 -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said his brief exchange with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the conclusion of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit here was a gesture of goodwill and respect, as China prepares to assume chairmanship of the annual meeting in 2026.

"It was just a very quick (encounter),' Marcos told reporters.

"Sabi ko lang sa kanya (I just told him), 'congratulations, we look forward to doing a lot of good work with you as APEC chair'. And he said, 'thank you, thank you'. And that was it. There was really not very much to it."

He said he made it a point to approach Xi at the end of the Leaders' Retreat "out of common courtesy."

"Masyado kayong (You're making it so) deep. It's just...