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China signals openness to revive joint oil exploration talks with PH

Article by Monne Slyvia

Published on April 23, 2026 1:14AM


China has indicated its willingness to restart discussions on a possible joint oil and gas exploration arrangement with the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), calling joint development the “right path” to maintaining stability in the contested waters. In a statement issued from the Chinese Embassy in Manila, Beijing framed the offer as a way to set aside sovereignty disputes and deliver shared economic benefits to regional countries and their peoples. ¹ ²

The Chinese Embassy said that “setting aside differences and pursuing joint development is the right path to uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea and deliver benefits to countries in the region and their peoples.” It noted that China and the Philippines had previously held “in‑depth discussions on joint oil and gas development” in disputed areas of the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea, and had “made positive progress” during those talks. ¹ ²


“As long as the Philippine side demonstrates sincerity, China’s door to dialogue and cooperation will remain open,” the embassy added, underscoring Beijing’s conditional openness to picking up negotiations. ¹ ² Analysts in Manila see the move as part of China’s broader effort to ease tensions while advancing economic leverage in the region. ² ³


Joint oil and gas exploration discussions between Manila and Beijing stalled in 2022, when then‑Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. revealed that the Philippines had initiated the termination of the talks after at least three years of negotiations. Locsin cited “constitutional limitations” and concerns over sovereignty and legal risks under Philippine law as key reasons for ending the process. ²


The previous talks focused on areas such as Recto Bank (Reed Bank), which lies within the WPS and is claimed by both countries, underscoring the difficulty of reconciling joint development with entrenched territorial disputes. ² ³ Despite the collapse of the 2022‑era exploratory framework, China has continued to portray joint development as a pragmatic solution to manage conflict. ³ ⁴


President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the ongoing oil crisis triggered by the Middle East conflict could serve as an “impetus” to revive the joint‑exploration discussions. In a Bloomberg News interview, President Marcos acknowledged that energy cooperation has been discussed “for a great deal,” but that territorial disputes have repeatedly hindered agreement. ²


“That’s something we’ve been talking about for a great deal, but the territorial disputes get in the way of that. Maybe this will provide the impetus for both sides to come to an agreement,” President Marcos said. ² His remarks left the door open to renewed talks, even as they highlighted the political and legal sensitivities that any new arrangement would have to navigate. ² ³


In a separate forum, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro clarified that President Marcos has not yet issued any formal directive related to restarting oil and gas talks with China, indicating that the government is weighing the proposal amid domestic legal constraints and public opinion.


With energy security under pressure and disputes in the WPS still unresolved, Manila‑Beijing oil‑talk overtures now sit at the intersection of economics, law, and geopolitics, where any potential joint project will be scrutinized as much for its legal and sovereignty implications as for its promise of shared resources. ² ³


_______________________________________________ Notes:

¹ Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The People's ... https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/zy/gb/202412/t20241218_11498201.html


² Selective application: China asserts, defies international law at once https://globalnation.inquirer.net/315268/selective-application-china-asserts-defies-international-law-at-once



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