Could joint oil and gas projects help ease Beijing and Manila’s South China Sea tensions?
China and the Philippines have been urged to resume joint South China Sea energy exploration as a way of easing tensions in the disputed waters. A joint report by Chinese and Philippine analysts also said the two countries should work together in other “low-sensitivity” areas such as marine environmental protection and combating crime at sea. The report, published on Monday by the Shanghai…
The Shanghai Institutes for International Studies has suggested that China and the Philippines resume joint oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea to ease tensions between the two nations. The joint report argues that this could not only meet the Philippines' energy requirements but also reduce escalating tensions, foster regional stability, and address the trust deficit caused by military and economic disparities.
The report also recommends pursuing other "low-sensitivity" areas for cooperation, such as marine environmental protection and combating sea crimes. While Beijing and Manila signed a memorandum of understanding on oil and gas cooperation in 2018, progress has been minimal since then. Despite the South China Sea's ongoing territorial disputes, the report posits that joint exploration is feasible, as long as a comprehensive institutional framework is established to ensure fairness, prevent conflicts arising from military and sovereignty disputes, and promote trust.
The authors also highlighted marine environmental protection as the most viable area for cooperation due to its low political sensitivity, high consensus, and practical feasibility.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
