The Philippines on Monday firmly rejected China’s claim of sovereignty over the entire South China Sea, responding to a statement from Beijing’s embassy that a Filipino diplomat had allegedly conceded Scarborough Shoal was outside Philippine territory. “China must be reminded that maritime and territorial claims are subject to established international legal procedures and dispute settlement mechanisms, not through unilateral proclamations or social media posts,” Philippine foreign ministry spokesperson Rogelio Villanueva said at a briefing, Reuters reported.
Villanueva emphasized that the Philippines has “indivisible, incontrovertible and longstanding sovereignty” over Scarborough Shoal and other islands in the Spratly archipelago. The remarks come amid ongoing tensions between Manila and Beijing, as both countries claim the shoal, which is effectively under Chinese control due to continuous coast guard deployment. The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Scarborough Shoal, located 200 kilometers off the Philippines and within its exclusive economic zone, is strategically important for shipping lanes, fishing resources, and its turquoise lagoon, which offers safe anchorage during storms. Villanueva noted, “Sovereignty is not merely claimed, it is exercised,” highlighting Manila’s resistance to Beijing’s assertions.
The dispute forms part of a broader pattern of maritime confrontations, including water-cannon incidents and interference with resupply missions, which the Philippines has criticized as aggressive. China maintains its actions are professional and within its claimed territory. In 2016, the Philippines won a landmark case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which invalidated China’s sweeping South China Sea claims—a ruling Beijing continues to reject.
