By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday said his planned “reset” of the Philippines’ relations with China aims to ease tensions and prevent misunderstandings that could escalate into conflict.
Speaking at a presidential luncheon hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) at the Diamond Hotel Philippines, President Marcos Jr. said the reset means returning to dialogue whenever tensions between Manila and Beijing begin to rise.
“It’s a reset in the sense that if we are beginning to detect or to feel an increase in tensions or an escalation in tensions, then we have to once again go back and talk to our friends in China and say, ‘Look, this is not headed in the right direction,’” Marcos Jr. said.
He said the goal is to lower tensions and prevent situations where Philippine or Chinese vessels and their crew members could make mistakes or misunderstand each other.
Marcos Jr. said efforts to manage tensions have been ongoing, with every incident in the West Philippine Sea providing an opportunity to identify what went wrong and prevent similar incidents.
“We try to bring the level of tensions, we try to bring even sometimes the language that is being exchanged down a notch, as it were. So that’s the reset,” Marcos Jr. said.
Joint exploration
On possible joint oil and gas exploration with China, Marcos Jr. said discussions have progressed as the parties work on the terms of reference.
“I can see this new possibility that there will be such joint exploration. Like any joint venture, a G2G (government-to-government) or, if it is purely commercial, you have to define between yourself and between the parties in terms of reference,” Marcos Jr. said.
“That’s what we are doing now. Like any joint venture, a G2G or if it is purely commercial, you have to define between yourself and between the parties in terms of reference. That’s what we are doing now,” he added.
Asked if joint oil and gas exploration with China could take place during his term, Marcos replied, “Certainly.”
Marcos Jr. said the Philippines needs additional oil and gas supplies and must explore possibilities in the West Philippine Sea and other areas the country “can take advantage of.”
He said, however, that the timing of any joint exploration would depend on the progress of discussions.
Marcos Jr. added that all parties involved appear interested in making the proposed cooperation succeed.
