11-11-2024 (MANILA) The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has reaffirmed its commitment to defending national sovereignty following China’s latest territorial assertion over the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China sea.
The military’s statement comes in response to Beijing’s announcement of maritime boundaries around what it calls Huangyan Dao, just days after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr signed legislation defining his nation’s maritime entitlements and establishing designated sea lanes.
AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla emphasised the military’s supporting role while deferring legal matters to the Department of Foreign Affairs. “The AFP remains steadfast in performing our mandate to protect the country’s sovereign rights while supporting government efforts to maintain peace,” Padilla stated.
The diplomatic tension escalated after China’s Foreign Ministry opposed the Philippines’ new maritime laws, declaring its own territorial sea baselines around the contested feature. Beijing maintains its claim over virtually the entire South China Sea, despite the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling in The Hague that invalidated these sweeping assertions under international law.
