Despite their still unresolved maritime rift, the Philippines and China remain open to the prospect of joint oil and gas explorations in contested waters. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo disclosed the scenario and emphasized that any talks or discussions on the matter would be based on the country’s laws. “In any negotiation on oil and gas, the Philippine position has always been that we will be guided by the constitutional requirements. And that’s how we will proceed in the next round,” he said in a report on GMA7 Wednesday night.

Punongbayan, M., & Ramirez, R. (2023, March 31). Phl, China pursuing joint energy exploration in WPS. The Philippine Star, pp. 1, 6.