MANILA — China has expressed renewed willingness to resume joint oil and gas exploration talks with the Philippines in the South China Sea, raising prospects of revived negotiations amid global oil supply uncertainties and lingering territorial disputes.
In a statement, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said both countries had previously engaged in extensive negotiations on joint development in disputed waters and had achieved “positive progress.”
“Setting aside differences and pursuing joint development is the right path to uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea and deliver benefits to countries in the region and their peoples,” the embassy said.
It added that dialogue remains an option if the Philippines shows readiness to move forward.
“As long as the Philippine side demonstrates sincerity, China’s door to dialogue and cooperation will remain open,” it said.
Negotiations between the two sides were halted in 2022 after the Philippines withdrew from the talks, with then Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. citing “constitutional limitations” following years of discussions.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier indicated that the ongoing global oil supply concerns stemming from the Middle East situation could push both sides to reconsider the stalled negotiations.
“That’s something we’ve been talking about for a great deal, but the territorial disputes get in the way of that. Maybe this will provide the impetus for both sides to come to an agreement,” Marcos said in a Bloomberg News interview.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, however, said no formal directive has yet been issued by the President regarding the possible resumption of talks.
Speaking at a forum on Wednesday, she noted that such guidance “may be forthcoming.”/PN
