China has intensified its efforts to assert claims over a contested reef located within the Philippines' internationally recognized exclusive economic zone (EEZ), heightening tensions with the U.S.-allied Southeast Asian nation.
China has long laid claim to most features in the South China Sea, often citing early 20th-century maps and historical records as evidence. However, in 2016, an independent tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague dismissed China's "nine-dash line" claims, declaring them inconsistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The disputed claims include Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing area known in the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc and in China as Huangyan Island. Following a standoff with the Philippines in 2012, China took de facto control of the atoll, located approximately 140 miles off Luzon Island and about 700 miles from China’s Hainan province.
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippines has ramped up efforts to challenge China's extensive territorial claims. This includes activities at Scarborough Shoal, where confrontations have occurred between Chinese maritime forces and Philippine vessels deployed to support local fishermen.
New Baseline Claims
China's Foreign Ministry recently issued a statement outlining 16 base points connected by straight baselines, asserting they conform to Chinese maritime laws. These baselines are used to demarcate waters over which a country claims full jurisdiction. The territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles (approximately 13 miles) from these baselines, where foreign vessels are generally allowed innocent passage.
In a show of enforcement, the Chinese Coast Guard accused the Philippines of "territorial violations," criticizing Manila for sending military and Coast Guard assets to Scarborough Shoal and for encouraging local fishing boats to enter the lagoon, which China considers its "territorial waters." The Chinese Coast Guard has pledged to increase its patrols in the disputed area.
Philippine Response and Legal Actions
The recent escalation comes on the heels of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s signing of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act. These new laws aim to clearly define the country's maritime boundaries and bolster international recognition of the Philippines' territorial and maritime rights.
Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, the principal author of the legislation, described the acts as the "birth certificate of the West Philippine Sea." The term refers to areas of the South China Sea that fall within the Philippines' EEZ, a region rich in marine resources and strategic importance.
Continued Disputes and Regional Tensions
Despite the tribunal's 2016 ruling rejecting China's expansive claims, Beijing continues to assert its control over the South China Sea, a vital waterway through which a significant portion of global trade passes. The latest moves by China have drawn sharp criticism from the Philippines and its allies, as they challenge Beijing's attempts to alter the status quo in the region through new legal definitions and increased maritime patrols.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and the armed forces, as well as China's Foreign Ministry, have yet to issue official responses to the ongoing territorial dispute following the release of China's new maritime claims.
As both nations reinforce their respective stances, the situation in the South China Sea remains a flashpoint, testing the resilience of international maritime law and regional alliances.
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