PDP-Laban (Pimentel wing) leader and PROMDI presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao will be relentless in pursuing continuous dialogue with China over the West Philippine Sea issue but will be firm in standing up against bullying tactics in the disputed territory.

In a recent media interview, Pacquiao said he will likely support the conduct of a joint exploration of the vast WPS area being subjected to a contradicting claims by many nations, particularly Philippines and China.

Pacquiao agreed that the stand of national candidates on the WPS controversy should be an important topic of political discussions for the 2022 national elections.

Earlier, the Social Weather Station disclosed that eight out of ten Filipinos would like the next president to make a stand in protecting Philippines’ claims over the WPS.

In a move that showcased his foreign policy directions once elected president, the senator said that there is a need for a continuing dialogue with China but he would not allow any nation to “bully” the Philippines.

“Ipaglaban natin ang ating karapatan bilang bansa at huwag tayong magpa-bully (We have to fight for our rights as a nation and we will not allow ourselves to be bullied0,” he said in the ambush interview in Manila.

When asked about a possible joint exploration with China at WPS, Pacquiao said that he is open to the proposal “if it will lead to peace and mutual economic benefits for the two countries”.

“Para sa akin ay puede naman ang joint exploration at kung may madiskubre (langis at iba pang mineral), kasama iyan sa pag-uusapan, para hindi mapunta sa kaguluhan ang bawat panig. (In my opinion a joint exploration may be considered if oil and other minerals are discovered, that will be included in the negotiations to avoid trouble),” he explained.

Several countries including the Philippines have overlapping territorial claims to portions of the WPS, which stretches from Singapore in the southwest to Taiwan in the northeast.

A United States Energy Information Administration analysis shows that some areas of the contested waters contain oil and natural gas as well as other minerals believed to be worth trillions of dollars.

In total, the WPS which is also called the South China Sea has about 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas rated as proved or probable reserves.

In addition, the waters may have additional hydrocarbons in underexplored areas.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimated in 2012 that about 12 billion barrels of oil and 160 trillion cubic feet of natural gas might exist as undiscovered resources.

About one-fifth of these resources may be found in contested areas, particularly in the Reed Bank at the northeast end of the Spratly Islands, which is also being claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Pacquiao, however, pointed out that the Philippines and China must meet first at the negotiating table to discuss any problems and issues surrounding the diplomatic ties between the two nations.