In a market disclosure, PXP said on Monday the talks were being handled by Forum (GSEC 101) Ltd, a subsidiary of its unit Forum Energy Ltd, but the parties had yet to agree on any disclosable definitive agreement.

In what it described as a unilateral decision, Manila has lifted a six-year-old moratorium on oil and gas exploration in the disputed waters believed to be rich in energy and marine resources, a move Beijing did not oppose.

(Reporting by Enrico Dela Cruz; Editing by Ed Davies)