TAGAYTAY CITY — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said the Philippines remained firm in its position on the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea despite China’s objection to the passage of the new maritime and archipelagic sea lane laws.
In a chance interview, the president insisted that the Philippines “does not agree” with China’s definition of its sovereign territory.
“Nothing has changed because our situation is still the same. Our position is still the same,” Marcos told reporters.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (NOEL B. PABALATE / PPA Pool)
“They’re saying they’re objecting to it. They’re saying that ‘we do not agree,’ and that they will continue to protect what they defined as their sovereign territory. Of course, we do not agree with their definition of sovereign territory,” he added.
Marcos issued the statement after China summoned the Philippine ambassador to explain the two new maritime laws in the Philippines.
Beijing said Manila should respect China’s territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests, immediately stop taking unilateral actions, and earnestly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Marcos recently signed two key laws — the Philippine Maritime Zone Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act — to bolster the nation’s maritime rights.
The two legislations aim to safeguard maritime security while ensuring freedom of navigation in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).
Four days after the signing of the new maritime laws, China released a set of geographic coordinates around Scarborough Shoal, which it calls Huangyan Dao.
Beijing said it was a “natural step” for the government to publish the baselines for its maritime management.
In response, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to protest the baselines.
“The s aid baselines infringe upon Philippine sovereignty and contravene international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award. The said baselines have no legal basis and are not binding on the Philippines,” the DFA said in a statement.
In a separate statement, the Philippines’ National Maritime Council said that China’s use of straight baselines around Scarborough Shoal violates Unclos and the 2016 ruling as these technical boundaries can only be drawn under specific conditions.
The contested feature lies well within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and is approximately 472 nautical miles from China’s nearest coast.
In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines over China’s claims in the South China Sea.
China has not recognized the decision.
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