The Chinese Embassy in Manila issued a statement on Wednesday, March 26, calling for joint oil and gas development in the South China Sea, suggesting that the resumption of joint exploration is the right path to uphold peace and stability in the disputed maritime region.
The full statement goes:
“Setting aside differences and pursuing joint development is the right path to uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea and deliver benefits to countries in the region and their peoples.
China and the Philippines have conducted in-depth discussions on joint oil and gas development in the South China Sea and have made positive progress. As long as the Philippine side demonstrates sincerity, China’s door to dialogue and cooperation will remain open.”
There are at least two parts in this statement that deserve scrutiny.
One is the call to “set aside differences.” In diplomatic parlance, this sounds reasonable and standard language. But in the context of the West Philippine Sea, it is a demand with a specific cost. The glaring issue between China and the Philippines is the 2016 Arbitral Award, which affirmed Philippine sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone. To set that aside is not to pursue peace but to abandon the legal foundation upon which any fair arrangement must be based. Joint development without affirming Philippine sovereignty is not partnership. It is acquiescence guised in diplomatese.
Another phrasing needs more clarity. China’s door to dialogue, the Embassy says, will remain open “as long as the Philippine side demonstrates sincerity.” This implicitly frames Manila as the reluctant party and the one that must prove good faith. China conveniently omits the years of maritime incursions, harassment of Filipino fishermen, and water cannon attacks on resupply missions. If sincerity is the standard, it should apply to both sides.
Palawan is ground zero in the heightened West Philippine Sea dispute involving China’s bullying maritime tactics. Any joint development arrangement reached without clear terms on sovereignty and resource rights, including local benefits for the province, will be felt by us the most.
