BEIJING — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday told Chinese President Xi Jinping that the Philippines will resume negotiations with China on joint oil and gas explorations in the West Philippine Sea, a project which has been shelved due to frictions between Filipino and Chinese vessels in the disputed waters.

Marcos gave the statement during his bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, noting the two countries’ need to “move away from traditional fronts of power.”

"I really hope—I would very much like, as you have suggested, Mr. President, to be able to announce that we are continuing negotiations,” Marcos said.

“We hope that these negotiations will bear fruit because the pressure upon not only China, not only the Philippines but the rest of the world to move away from the traditional fronts of power," he said.

• Marcos Jr. to broach South China Sea issue on China trip

In 2018, Manila and Beijing signed a joint memorandum of agreement to create a joint steering committee that would serve as an official negotiating forum for the 2 countries’ efforts to explore oil reserves and gas resources in the West Philippine Sea, particularly in Reed Bank, which falls within the Philippines exclusive economic zone.

The said panel only met once and that “no agreement was reached during the said meeting,” the Department of Energy said in June 2022, after the Philippines pulled out from the negotiations after reports that Chinese ships harassed 2 survey vessels commissioned by Philippine energy companies.

Last month, Marcos said Manila and Beijing could not agree on which Constitution to follow in creating a joint venture agreement. China supposedly wants a 50-50 sharing deal, but the Philippine Constitution limits foreign stakes in Philippine businesses at only 40 percent.

“We have to find a way kasi kailangan na natin,” Marcos said in an interview in December 2022.

• Xi wants ‘to write new chapter’ in PH-China relations

During Marcos’ 3-day state visit to China this week, Xi assured the Filipino leader that Beijing is willing to work with Manila, and even extend assistance in the fields of energy, agriculture and infrastructure.

“Mr. President, your current trip is a trip to honor history, but more importantly, it is to open up the future,” Xi told Marcos during their bilateral meeting here.

“I look forward to having discussions with you to carry forward the friendship and further promote [our] bilateral relationship," he said.

“Together, let's deepen cooperation and draw out a blueprint with China-Philippines cooperation in the new era. This way, we will bring more benefits to our people and contribute to peace and stability in the region," he added.

Aside from the joint exploration project, Manila and Beijing also signed about a dozen other bilateral agreements On the fields of tourism, agriculture, trade and investment, among others.

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