PROTECTING PH TERRITORIES. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) conducts regular patrol at the West Philippine Sea in this 2022 photo. National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said Thursday (Aug. 31, 2023) the Marcos administration is committed to protecting the Philippines’ territorial integrity and national sovereignty, as it disregards China’s new map featuring its extended claims in the South China Sea. (Photo courtesy of PCG)
PH | Government will protect PH’s national sovereignty and territorial unity | MANILA –
National Security Adviser Eduardo Ao said Thursday that the Marcos administration is committed to protecting the Philippines’ territorial integrity and national sovereignty. However, it doesn’t care about China’s new map that shows its expanded rights in the South China Sea (SCS).
At a news conference at Malacaan’s Premier Guest House, Ao said that the Philippines would not recognize China’s updated “10-dash line” map as proof of its claim in the South China Sea.
“We don’t know what a 10-dash line is. He said, “We don’t even know what a nine-dash line is, let alone a 10-dash line.” “We will continue to protect the integrity of our territory and the authority of our country. Our military, our uniformed service, and our government will do everything they can to protect our national interest.”
China released its “standard map” for 2023 on Monday. It shows 10 dashes that make a broken U-shape that overlaps with the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Vietnam.
Beijing’s new map showed the parts of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea that it says belong to it.
Ao said that he thinks more countries will have “negative” responses to China’s new map, just like the Philippines, India, and Malaysia.
He also said that in the case of the Philippines, China’s broad claims over the SCS have already been thrown out by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which is based in The Hague.
“The arbitral award is final and binding, and it gives us our maritime entitlement, our extended economic zone, our territorial waters, and even our extended continental shelf,” said Ao. “Again, we don’t agree with the Chinese government’s 10-dash line.”
Earlier on Thursday, the Department of Foreign Affairs asked China to “act responsibly and follow its obligations under UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award.”
China, the Philippines, and a number of other coastal states all have claims in the SCS that border with each other.
The Philippines won its petition to the PCA on July 12, 2016, when the arbitral panel threw out China’s claim that it had historical rights to almost the whole SCS.
China, which claims about 80% of the SCS, has not paid attention to the PCA’s decision. (via PNA)
