The Philippines and China held their first meeting to tackle all issues surrounding the proposal for both countries to conduct oil and gas exploration despite the unresolved dispute over maritime areas in the South China Sea.
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The Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday said Philippine and Chinese officials met Oct. 28 in Beijing on the proposed cooperation on oil and gas exploration by both nations.
However, the DFA provided only general details on what transpired during the meeting.
Nonetheless, a joint statement of the Philippines-China Inter-Governmental Joint Steering Committee on Cooperation on Oil and Gas Development was released, saying that the two sides had a “candid, in-depth and friendly exchange” on cooperation arrangements under the memorandum of understanding they signed last year.
Officials led by Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Enrique Manalo and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui “agreed to further push forward communication and coordination on oil and gas development, with a view to achieving progress in accordance with the MOU.”
But the statement did not say if they have already identified the specific areas where they plan to conduct exploration, if it will be in the South China Sea, or if it would include the Reed Bank, a resource-rich area within the exclusive economic zone, particularly the West Philippine Sea, but being claimed by Beijing.
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The joint statement said the next round of meetings will be held in the Philippines in early 2020, but the exact date and place will still be determined and mutually agreed upon through diplomatic channels.
The MOU on oil and gas exploration was signed during the state visit to the Philippines of President Xi Jinping in November 2018. Xi’s visit was the first for a Chinese leader in 13 years.
The Philippines and Beijing have overlapping claims in the South China Sea and have figured in tense confrontations in the past.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration rendered a ruling in favor of the Philippines that invalidated China’s massive claims over the South China Sea and clarified Manila’s exclusive economic zone, including the West Philippines Sea.
However, China defied the arbitral ruling, insisting that it has “indisputable” and “historical” claim over nearly the entire waters even as it encroaches on the territories of its smaller neighbors like the Philippines in the South China Sea.
When President Rodrigo Duterte ascended into power, the Philippines reinvigorated its ties with China in exchange for economic assistance, normalization of ties, trade and investments.
Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio expressed optimism that world opinion will pressure China to comply with the 2016 Arbitral Award.
Carpio, a strong advocate of the country’s sovereign rights over disputed maritime territories in the South China Sea, said in spite of China’s seeming intractability on the issue, it is also keen at looking to world opinion.
“A wise man once said that there are only two ways for China to comply with the arbitral ruling. First, China voluntarily, on its own complies with the ruling, a scenario that does not seem possible. Second, world opinion pressures China to comply with the ruling something that is within the realm of possibilities,’ Carpio said, in his speech during the testimonial dinner hosted by the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communications Tuesday evening at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
The retired magistrate said media have a great role to play in this not only by educating Filipinos about the issue but the rest of the world as well.
“China needs the work. It has to export to and import from the world, continue its economic development. Shaping world opinion starting within the Philippines, spreading throughout Southeast Asia and then through the rest of the world is tailor-made for journalists like you.
“All you have to do is to tell the historical truth about the South China Sea. The truth, by the arbitral ruling is that China never owned or controlled the South China Sea throughout its history,” he said.
Carpio said he is optimistic that the “seemingly impossible dream” can still be achieved, adding that despite his age, he will continue to advocate and press the country’s case in every fora in the country and abroad.
“In the Philippines, 93 percent of the Filipino people want the arbitral ruling asserted, 93 percent. I still have to work on President Duterte and the remaining 7 percent,” he said.