PH–China joint Energy Exploration in West PH Sea ?

[Ayoshi]

Duterte open to PH–China joint energy exploration in West PH Sea | Manila Bulletin - December 19, 2016

President Rodrigo Duterte said he is open to a joint exploration for energy between the Philippines and China in disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea despite not bringing this up during his state visit to China.

This, even as he stressed that he is not deviating from the July 16 U.N. tribunal ruling that favored the Philippines, which he said he would someday bring up with Beijing.

“Bakit naman ako maghanap ng away? If I send the Marines there, they’ll be wiped out in just one minute. It will be a disaster,” the president said in a speech in Malacañang on Monday, December 19.

“Kung gusto n’yo, let’s just develop what’s the oil there, hati-hati na lang tayo. Anuhin ko naman iyang dagat kung walang… What will I do with the Scarborough Shoal? Swim there everyday? For what? To send my soldiers there to die? Nakalutang lahat? Sumaryosep!” Duterte said.

During his state visit to China in October, Duterte ruled out discussions on possible joint exploration for energy in disputed maritime territories in the West Philippine Sea, saying that he has yet to get the consent of Congress on the matter.

[Ayoshi]

Envoy says PHL studying joint exploration with China in disputed waters | GMA news - January 2, 2017

In a report by GMA News' Jam Sisante, Romana said the Department of Energy and Department of Foreign Affairs had been studying  the prospect of jointly exploring with Beijing the disputed waters.

"The basic challenge here is how to do it, whether with a US company or a British company or a Chinese company, so that you can have a joint venture or a joint development, whatever you want to call it, that is in line our constitutional requirements," Sta. Romana said at a news forum.

Sta. Romana said the government needed to know what natural resources could be extracted from the West Philippine Sea, especially with the chance that the energy supply from the Malampaya gas fields would be depleted in 10 years.

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Sta. Romana said that any joint exploration agreement with China had to be in accordance with the Constitution.

Aside from being constitutional, University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea director Jay Batongbacal said the terms of any joint exploration agreement between the two countries should be transparent.

The Philippine government must also ensure the deal will not be misconstrued as an acknowledgement of China's sweeping claims over the entirety of West Philippine Sea.

[Ayoshi]

Philippines to consult ASEAN on joint China sea oil search | Rappler - July 26, 2017

On Monday Duterte said his government was in talks with China over joint drilling for natural resources in the sea, reversing years of tensions.

But Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said on Wednesday the Philippines would consult its 9 fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members about the proposal.

"It will not be a unilateral action from the Philippines because the premise of the president is peace and stability, and unilateral action by anybody leads to destabilization," he told reporters.

"There will also have to be consultations with the whole ASEAN because we want to keep the stability there."