Rappler Talk Investigative: UP professor Herman Kraft on PH-China joint exploration

MANILA, Philippines – No less than Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping recently gave the “go signal” to craft a framework for joint exploration in the West Philippine Sea.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said the statement was “very important,” as this signaled that joint exploration in the area could be done soon, should the framework be agreeable for both countries.

What issues need to be resolved before Manila and Beijing can come to a joint exploration agreement? What might an “acceptable” framework look like?

On Wednesday, April 18, Rappler editor-at-large Marites Vitug speaks to University of the Philippines (UP) Political Science associate professor Herman Kraft on the issues the public should watch out for surrounding joint exploration in the West Philippine Sea.

Kraft teaches International Relations and Comparative Politics at UP. He is currently a Ministry of Foreign Affairs Taiwan fellowship recipient based in the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the National Sun Yat-sen University in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 

His published works include articles and book chapters on security in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

Tune in to Rappler Talk at 7 pm on Wednesday. – Rappler.com