Marcos encourages Philippines to ‘take advantage’ of South China Sea for oil

Marcos encourages Philippines to ‘take advantage’ of South China Sea for oil

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated Thursday that the Philippines should explore oil and gas in the South China Sea even without a deal with China. Marcos told reporters, "That's a big thing for us, that is why we need to fight (for what is ours) and take advantage if there really is oil there," In June, the previous government stated constitutional limits and sovereignty considerations had ended talks on Manila-Beijing South China Sea energy exploration. The Philippines relies heavily on imported fuel for its energy needs, making it vulnerable to supply shocks and rising oil prices, which have helped push up inflation to a nearly 14-year high. Vice President Kamala Harris reaffirmed US defense commitments to the Philippines and supported a 2016 arbitration ruling invalidating Beijing's expansive South China Sea claims. China rejected the finding that the Philippines has sovereign rights to develop energy deposits in its 200-mile (321-kilometer) Exclusive Economic Zone. BKM/ Expat Media

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