Joint WPS oil exploration with China under review, not yet final – Palace
MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang said Friday that the planned joint exploration deal between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea is still being reviewed and has yet to be finalized.
“Magme-meet pa ‘yung mga technical committees ng dalawang bansa. Pag-uusapan ‘yung mga terms of reference, mga kondisyones at kung anuman ‘yung mga masasakop ng joint exploration. Marami pang pag-uusapan (The technical committees of the two countries will still have to meet ad discuss the terms of reference, and other conditions related to the joint exploration),” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in an interview on dzMM.
“Under study pa lahat ‘yan,” he added.
Panelo issued the remark after clarifying President Rodrigo Duterte’s earlier pronouncement that the country will ignore the 2016 arbitral ruling on the West Philippine Sea, in favor of a joint oil and gas exploration with China.
“The exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is part of the arbitral ruling, which we will ignore to come up with an economic activity,” Duterte said in a press briefing in Malacañang Tuesday.
But Panelo offered a different take on the President’s remarks, saying: “What he said [is] the arbitral ruling is still subject to peaceful talks. That’s what he meant. In other words, [there’s an] impasse. So let’s talk other things like this joint exploration.”
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Duterte said that there’s nothing wrong with China’s proposal to split oil resources in the West Philippine Sea in Manila’s favor.
The Philippines and China signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for oil and gas exploration during Xi Jinping’s state visit to the country last year.
The two countries have agreed to form groups that will finalize agreements on joint oil and gas exploration in specific areas in the West Philippine Sea.
This was one of the products of Duterte’s fifth visit to China earlier this month. /gsg
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