Philippine-Indonesia maritime border template 'worthwhile to explore' with China —Marcos

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is open to "explore" maritime border talks with China and other countries using the same strategy that led to an agreement with Indonesia regarding the delimitation of the continental shelf.

"Well, I think it's worthwhile to explore, at the very least," Marcos told reporters in Indonesia when asked if he is inclined to present the same strategy used with Indonesia to China in connection with the West Philippine Sea issue.

For years, China has claimed almost the entire South China Sea amid competing claims from the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. In a ruling in 2016 to a case filed by the Philippines, the international arbitral tribunal invalidated China's massive claim.

Marcos has vowed that his administration would defend the country’s interests in the West Philippine Sea, which is a portion of the South China Sea being claimed by Beijing.

“It is one instance that this kind of discussion, we came to a conclusion and we came to a resolution. So we should try it. Now, hopefully, it works," Marcos said.

"If it doesn't work, we'll try something else, but at least we have a beginning point," he added.

On Monday,  Indonesian President Joko Widodo said Indonesia and the Philippines have committed to accelerate negotiations on the delimitation of the continental shelf based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS.

The Philippines and Indonesia are parties to the UNCLOS and are entitled to an exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles.

Marcos, who was in Indonesia for his first ever state visit as President, said he and Jokowi talked about the establishment of a baseline for the EEZ.

"So sinasabi ko, 'yan ang parang template para doon sa delimitation talks sa continental shelf that we are undergoing now. But also not only for the issues between Indonesia and the Philippines, pero sabi ko puwede ko gamitin 'yan… kahit na iba 'yung kausap, 'yung delimitation talks na ganyan," he said.

(So I said this could be a template, this delimitation talks on the continental shelf that we are undergoing now. Not only for the issues between Indonesia and the Philippines, but also with other countries that we will have delimitation talks with.)

"So, as I said, we should show it to the rest of ASEAN as an example that it is something that it can be done. It can be done basta nag-uusap kayo with the bilateral agreement (as long as their is dialogue with bilateral agreement]," he added. —KBK, GMA News