Philippines-China energy talks progress, Marcos says

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos said Friday that talks with China on potential energy exploration are making progress despite tensions over competing claims in the South China Sea.

Marcos said the Philippines needs additional oil and gas supplies and that the issue had become more urgent after fuel prices rose following the outbreak of war in the Middle East. He declared a national energy emergency in March.

"The Philippines needs additional supplies of oil and gas," Marcos told the country's foreign correspondents' association. "We need to explore the possibilities that we have."

Asked whether a deal could be reached before the end of his term in two years, Marcos said: "Certainly." He said the discussions were taking place with a view to a joint operation and that he believed all parties involved wanted them to succeed.

The Philippines ended talks with China on a joint energy project in the South China Sea in 2022 under then-President Rodrigo Duterte. Marcos reopened the door to discussions in 2023 after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping. Manila's foreign ministry said in March that initial exchanges on potential oil and gas cooperation had begun.

Beijing claims most of the South China Sea despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis. Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels have clashed repeatedly in the waterway, and the two countries summoned each other's ambassadors last month after a clash at a shoal.