China reasserts South China Sea sovereignty amid Philippine boundary laws
Al Jazeera
China opposes the Philippine move to define the country’s maritime entitlements in the South China Sea.
China has reasserted its territories around a flashpoint reef in the South China Sea after the Philippines defined its sea boundaries in the contested waters.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr signed two laws on Friday to define the country’s maritime entitlements and set designated sea lanes and air routes to “reinforce sovereignty”.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday that it “firmly opposes this and it will continue to take all necessary measures in accordance with the law to resolutely defend the country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests”.
Beijing claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, including areas claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.
China rejected a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that its sweeping claims were not supported by international law. The United States, a Philippine ally, backs the court’s ruling in the case, which was brought by Manila.
