Mr. Duterte then mentioned that it was important for people to see the benefit of the Philippines’ relationship with China, Cayetano said. China claims virtually the entire resource-rich South China Sea, including swaths of the West Philippine Sea, waters within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the strategic waterway. The Philippines won a challenge to China’s sweeping claim in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in July 2016, strengthening international recognition of its sovereign rights to fish and explore for resources in waters within its EEZ.

Salaverria, L. B. (2018, April 13). Duterte, Xi to work out joint oil exploration. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A10.