Beijing has issued a lengthy critique of the Philippines’ territorial claims in the South China Sea, condemning its actions as “unlawful” expansions that pose a “grave threat” to the post-war global order.
Wednesday’s report by a Ministry of Natural Resources think tank – its third within days – marks the latest move in China’s campaign to reinforce its position in the disputed waters.
It also reiterates Beijing’s rejection of the Philippines’ stance just days before the 10th anniversary of a landmark international tribunal ruling that invalidated key elements of the Chinese claims. China did not participate in the arbitration and does not recognise the ruling.
Manila had offered “shifting” justification for its claims over the decades, the China Institute for Marine Affairs (CIMA) in Beijing said in its report, citing successive territorial claims to Scarborough Shoal and parts of the Spratly Islands. The features are also claimed by China, which calls them Huangyan Island and the Nansha Islands, respectively.
Manila’s “attempt … to extend its territory” to those maritime features was “devoid of historical and legal foundation”, the 62-page English-language version of the report argued.
It said “a comprehensive analysis of credible historical sources and generally recognised rules of international law” showed that Manila had no sovereignty over Scarborough or any of the islands and reefs in the Spratlys.
