MANILA 16 March 2026 – In response to the Chinese Embassy’s erroneous and misleading statement issued on Saturday, 14 March 2026, the Department of Foreign Affairs firmly underscores the Philippines’ indivisible, incontrovertible and longstanding sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc and the Kalayaan Island Group.
The historical and legal foundations of Philippine sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc are unassailable. The Murillo Velarde map of 1734 clearly portrays the high-tide feature as Philippine territory, and all subsequent cartographic records affirm the same. More critically, the Philippines has exercised continuous, uninterrupted sovereignty and jurisdiction over Bajo de Masinloc for centuries — demonstrated through detailed hydrographic surveys, official government correspondences, and decisive acts of administration, including its designation as a target range by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the demolition by Philippine authorities of illegal structures erected on the shoal by foreign smugglers. Sovereignty is not merely claimed — it is exercised. The Philippines has done precisely that, consistently and without interruption.
The Philippines flatly rejects China’s assertion of indisputable sovereignty over the entire South China Sea. This claim has no basis in fact, no basis in history, and no basis in international law. Full stop.
As regards the recent letter posted by the Chinese Embassy in Manila, the DFA will not engage in conjecture or speculation over a document of uncertain origin and authenticity, and certainly without value. There is no merit in debating supposed documentary artifacts produced by third parties and presented as posts on social media, especially if these third parties have vested interests and willfully misconstrue and misrepresent established facts.
China must be reminded that maritime and territorial claims are subject to established international legal procedures and dispute settlement mechanisms — not to unilateral proclamations or social media posts. China’s persistent evasion of proper international legal scrutiny speaks volumes: it betrays the utter baselessness of its positions. A state confident in the legality of its claims does not shy away from international adjudication. China’s conduct is a tacit admission that its claims cannot withstand legal scrutiny.
The Philippines, on the other hand, duly proved and established its maritime claims through the 2016 Arbitral Award, which has become an integral part of international law. The Philippines likewise consistently exercised and upheld sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its archipelago and other territories, including Bajo de Masinloc and the high-tide features of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), which is incontrovertible and firmly founded on international law and effective administration.
Finally, while the Department welcomes the resumption of dialogue mechanisms with China as critical platforms for effective diplomacy, consistent with the guidance of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Philippines makes one thing unequivocally clear: engagement is not concession. Our pursuit of dialogue reflects a calibrated and principled commitment to peaceful dispute settlement — it does not, in any manner, dilute or qualify the Philippines’ firm, unequivocal positions in the West Philippine Sea. Our sovereignty is non-negotiable. Our resolve is absolute. END
