Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano intends to sign next month a framework agreement with China for joint exploration for oil and natural gas in the West Philippine Sea. West Philippine Sea is the local name of the waters within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea. A joint venture with China underscores the Philippines’ turnaround since winning an international arbitral ruling against China’s claim to nearly all of the South China Sea in 2016.

Pazzibugan, D. Z. (2018, August 17). Cayetano to sign framework deal with China for joint exploration. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A11.