31-8-2023 (MANILA) The Philippines has officially objected to China’s new territorial map, characterizing it as Beijing’s latest effort to legitimize its extensive claims in the South China Sea. China recently released a “2023 version” of its “standard map,” which depicts its ownership claims over significant portions of the South China Sea, as well as overlapping territories with India, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
In response, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippines issued a statement expressing its rejection of the map. The DFA cited its primary concern with the “inclusion of the nine-dashed line (now a ten-dashed line) that supposedly shows China’s boundaries in the South China Sea.”
The DFA emphasized that China’s attempt to legitimize its sovereignty and jurisdiction over Philippine features and maritime zones has no basis under international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The DFA also noted that the 2016 tribunal ruling invalidated Beijing’s claims over certain areas of the South China Sea and explicitly stated that China’s “nine-dash line” exceeded its maritime entitlements under UNCLOS.
The Philippines called on China to act responsibly and adhere to its obligations under UNCLOS and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award. The Permanent Court of Arbitration under the United Nations rendered this ruling in 2016, declaring China’s nine-dash line claim over the disputed waters as invalid.
Since then, the arbitral ruling has been frequently cited by the Philippines and other nations with overlapping claims in response to Chinese maritime aggression. China has consistently rejected the international ruling, asserting that it lacks a legal basis.
