Upholding the country’s sovereignty amid friction in the West Philippine Sea will be President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s guiding principle in proposing the joint exploration and development of marine resources.

Marcos was responding to the recent announcement by the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corp., or CNOOC, that it had discovered oil with a volume of 100 million tons in the WPS.

He and his entourage were on a three-day state visit to the Czech Republic, which he described as “productive” after he met with four top-ranking officials and forged significant memoranda of understanding.

“So, I’m very happy to say that the little time spent here in Prague has been quite productive. And, of course, it is a real pleasure to be in this city. It’s such a beautiful city. I think you’ve seen it; it’s like walking around a fairytale town,” Marcos said.

Czech President Petr Pavel had invited President Marcos and his wife, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, for a state visit “to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation and multilateral partnership” between the Philippines and the Czech Republic.

Marcos met with Pavel and First Lady Eva Pavlová, Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Senate President Miloš Vystrčil, and Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

Marcos and Pavel witnessed the signing of a Joint Communique to establish a labor consultation mechanism between the Department of Migrant Workers, or DMW, and the Czech Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

They also graced the ceremonial signing of the Memoranda of Understanding between Philippine business leaders and their Czech counterparts.

Bound by rights

When asked if he would work to revive negotiations for a joint exploration deal with China after the reported oil discovery, the President emphasized that the Philippines will be bound by its sovereignty, rights, and territorial jurisdiction in the WPS.

“The sovereignty and rights and our territorial jurisdiction remain the key in all talks on the WPS, and we cannot, at any point, somehow compromise the territorial integrity of the Philippines,” Marcos told reporters in an interview in Prague on Friday night.

Marcos assured that the country’s sovereign rights to that portion of the South China Sea would prevail.

“So, that is going to be the main principle behind any kind of talks that we might have. So, depending on areas that we are talking about, that will come into play. So, let me leave it at that. That is the guiding principle that I’m following when it comes to all these things,” he said.

What provocation?

Marcos denied the Philippines was trying to provoke tensions in the WPS.

On Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin called on the Philippines to “stop misleading the international community and using the SCS issue to instigate disputes.”

The President said he was unaware of any instance when the Philippines “had instigated anything at any point, both verbally, militarily or diplomatically.”

“We did not begin all of these problems. All of this commotion was not caused by the Philippines. So, I don’t know what they are referring to,” he said.

China has been accusing the Philippines of heightening the tensions in the WPS by conducting military exercises with the United States.

The Philippines defended its engagements with the US, pointing out that the collaboration between both countries was part of the Mutual Defense Treaty signed on 30 August 1951.

The treaty has eight articles and requires both nations to come to each other’s aid if another country attacks the Philippines or the US.