Oil, gas exploration with China won’t compromise PHL arbitral win—Locsin

The joint oil and gas exploration deal between China and the Philippines will not compromise the competing claims of both countries in disputed territories of the West Philippine Sea, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Wednesday.

“There it says this agreement will be without prejudice to the sovereign claims of either side,” Locsin said in an interview on ANC.

“The memorandum of oil and gas, precisely makes it unnecessary to set aside the arbitral ruling.”

Under the memorandum, Philippines and China have agreed to search for oil and gas as partners in the West Philippine Sea.

Locsin said working groups from the two countries, or the Intergovernmental Joint Steering Committee, have been identified.

China Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Locsin are co-chairpersons of the committee.

National Energy Administration Minister of China Nur Bekri and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi will serve as vice co-chairs, Locsin noted.

Philippine officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Department of Justice will sit as committee members.

“The terms of reference really just fleshes out the memorandum of agreement which is very clear: no legal position of either side is compromised when you enter into this agreement,” Locsin said. —Joviland Rita/VDS, GMA News