Marcos to Xi: We hope oil, gas exploration talks will bear fruit

BEIJING—The Philippines and China will continue negotiations as regards joint oil and gas explorations in the South China Sea, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has said.

Marcos and Xi met for bilateral talks on Wednesday as part of the Filipino president's state visit to the Chinese capital.

“I would very much like, as you have suggested, Mr. President, to be able to announce that we are continuing negotiations," Marcos told Xi.

"We hope that these negotiations will bear fruit because the pressure upon not only China, not only the Philippines but the rest of the world to move away from the traditional fronts of power," he added.

Marcos in early December said that Beijing's territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea had been a roadblock to the joint oil and gas exploration in the resource-rich region.

He explained that the competing claims over the area by the Philippines and China have resulted in a debate on whose law should be followed in case of a joint exploration.

The Duterte administration had terminated the joint oil and gas exploration discussions with China because of legal constraints and sovereignty concerns.

In August, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said the Philippines was willing to talk to China about a joint oil and gas exploration.

Manalo ensured that the Philippines would not compromise its sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea once it enters into a possible energy exploration deal with China. —NB, GMA Integrated News