President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said a joint gas exploration with China, particularly in the disputed West Philippine Sea, remains possible amid the ongoing global fuel crisis.

In an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday, Marcos said cooperation with China could be pursued while managing territorial disputes separately.

“We've always tried to differentiate the territorial disputes from our trade arrangements. And many, many investments, still of the big programs here of the government, are coming from China,” Marcos said.

He noted that joint exploration has long been under discussion between the two countries.

“But the territorial disputes will get in the way of that. Maybe this will provide impetus for both sides to come to an agreement,” he said.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, however, said the proposal is not yet feasible.

“Not at this point in time, but it may be forthcoming.”

The Supreme Court in January 2023 voided the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking among China, the Philippines, and Vietnam, which covered more than 142,000 square kilometers of the South China Sea.

Despite tensions, China remains one of the Philippines’ sources of fuel imports. Lazaro said Beijing has not blocked fuel shipments to the Philippines, noting ongoing discussions under the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct.

Marcos also said the Philippines is likely to reset its relations with China.

“I think it's certainly going to happen. I don't think that's something that we can, that is like an option. It's happening now,” he said.

He added that global geopolitical shifts may require significant changes in international relations.

“I remember I was watching Prime Minister Wong from Singapore, and he was saying there will be, we will have to withdraw, redraw, all of our, even our legal relationships in terms of international law, in terms of all of these things. They will have a lasting effect, and there is, and there will have to be a new normal,” the President said.