MANILA, March 16 (Reuters) – The Philippines said on Monday it rejected Beijing’s claims to the entire South China Sea, questioning the Chinese embassy’s assertion that a Philippine diplomat had admitted that the disputed Scarborough Shoal was not part of its territory.
“China must be reminded that maritime and territorial claims are subject to established international legal procedures and dispute settlement mechanisms and not through unilateral announcements or social media posts,” Philippine Foreign Ministry spokesman Rogelio Villanueva said at a press conference.
Villanueva said the Philippines has “indivisible and indisputable long-term sovereignty” over Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands owned by Manila.
They are the latest comments from Philippine officials in a war of words with the Chinese embassy in Manila over the South China Sea dispute. The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Philippines and China both claim sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal, which Beijing effectively controls through its constant deployment of coast guard forces. Sovereignty over the atoll has never been formally established.
strategic shoal
Villanueva was responding to a weekend social media post from the embassy that said a former Philippine ambassador told a German radio station that Scarborough Shoal did not belong to Manila.
The shoal, 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the Philippines, within its exclusive economic zone and close to major shipping lanes, is prized for its fish stocks and turquoise lagoons that offer ships a safe haven during storms.
“Sovereignty is not only asserted but exercised,” Villanueva said.
The Philippines and China have been locked in a series of maritime confrontations in recent years, with the Philippines accusing Beijing of aggressive actions within its exclusive economic zone.
These include water cannons and disrupting supply missions on Philippine-controlled features, something Manila often calls a “dangerous move.” China insists its coast guard acts professionally in protecting its territory.
In 2016, the Philippines won a landmark case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration that found China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea had no basis in international law, a ruling that Beijing has consistently rejected.
(Reporting by Mikhail Flores; Editing by Martin Petty)