The Philippines and China will resume discussions about jointly exploring oil and gas resources in the South China Sea in May, the Philippines' foreign minister said. "They were proposing that we begin talks again on oil and gas. I think we will begin in maybe around six weeks but…at a technical level," Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said in an interview with local network GMA News. Excerpts of Manalo's interview were shared with the media by the Philippines Foreign Ministry. (https://neuters.de/world/asia-pacific/manila-beijing-resume-oil-gas-talks-may-philippine-minister-2023-03-30/) China claims jurisdiction over almost the entire South China Sea and the risk of disruption has made it difficult for the Philippines to find foreign investors, despite an arbitration court clarifying Manila's entitlements in the sea. Efforts to find a legally viable way to cooperate on energy exploration have stalled repeatedly, with the administration of Marcos' predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, abandoning talks last June citing constitutional constraints and issues of sovereignty. The resumption comes on the heels of the first in-person meeting between diplomats from Manila and Beijing since before the pandemic, where they pledged to use diplomacy to resolve differences peacefully.
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