17 March 2024 – The 14 March 2024 statement of the spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of China on the supposed historic rights and sweeping claims of China on the South China Sea is baseless and misleading.

The Philippines has long had sovereignty and exercised administrative control over Bajo de Masinloc, as well as various features west of Palawan which now form the Kalayaan Island Group. These features appeared and were clearly identified in the administrative maps of the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period, including the 1734 Murillo Velarde Map of the Philippines.

As has been settled by the 2016 Arbitral Award, China’s claims to historic rights, or other sovereign rights or jurisdiction beyond the limits of the maritime entitlements provided by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), are without legal effect.

The Philippines maintains a firm stand against misguided claims and irresponsible actions that violate Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in its own maritime domain. The Philippines has never used the South China Sea issue to heighten tensions, mislead the international community, or undermine peace and stability in the region.

The Philippines urges China to reconsider its unfounded positions and claims. END