PH dismisses Beijing’s South China Sea claims: Not based in fact, history, international law

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines on Monday, March 16, criticized the Chinese embassy in Manila for making an “erroneous and misleading statement” over Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, a feature in the South China Sea. 

“In response to the Chinese Embassy’s erroneous and misleading statement issued on Saturday, 14 March 2026, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) firmly underscores the Philippines’ indivisible, incontrovertible and longstanding sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc and the Kalayaan Island Group,” said DFA spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Deputy Assistant Secretary Rogelio Villanueva Jr. in a media briefing. 

The DFA statement was issued in response to a post by the Chinese embassy in Manila which was, in turn, a response to a post by its favorite recipient of its tirades, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela. 

In that March 14 post, the Chinese embassy posted what it claimed to be a letter from Manila’s then-envoy to Germany to a German HAM radio operator that supposedly said that Scarborough Shoal was not under the territorial sovereignty of the Philippines. 

“[The DFA]… firmly underscores the Philippines’ indivisible, incontrovertible and longstanding sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc and the Kalayaan Island Group… The Philippines flatly rejects China’s assertion of indisputable sovereignty over the entire South China Sea. This claim has no basis in fact, no basis in history, and no basis in international law,” said Villanueva. 

What’s in a shoal?

The shoal, a high-tide elevation that generates its own territorial sea, is located some 120 nautical miles from the province of Zambales. 

Bajo de Masinloc is important for several reasons. First, of course, is its strategic value — it’s close enough to mainland Philippines, but is far away enough that it could be used for military activities. Once upon a time, that’s how the Armed Forces of the Philippines used the shoal — as target practice. 

For Filipino fisherfolk, its use is practically existential — the shoal is where fish are abundant and where they can seek shelter during stormy seas. 

Villanueva said the Philippines’ “unassailable” basis for claiming sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc include: 

• The Murillo Velarde map of 1734, which “clearly portrays the high-tide feature as Philippine territory, and all subsequent cartographic records affirm the same.” An original copy of the map was acquired by Filipino businessman Mel Velarde (not related to the original Velarde, a Spanish priest) in 2012, and was used, in part, to bolster the Philippines’ claims when it took China to arbitration. 
• “The Philippines has exercised continuous, uninterrupted sovereignty and jurisdiction over Bajo de Masinloc for centuries — demonstrated through detailed hydrographic surveys, official government correspondences, and decisive acts of administration, including its designation as a target range by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the demolition by Philippine authorities of illegal structures erected on the shoal by foreign smugglers.”

“Sovereignty is not merely claimed — it is exercised. The Philippines has done precisely that, consistently and without interruption,” said Villanueva. 

Yet Beijing has maintained control of the shoal since 2012, or after the tense standoff with the Philippines that ultimately led to Manila seeking arbitration. 

To this day, China Coast Guard vessels, alongside Chinese Maritime Militia, guard the inside of the shoal and the area surrounding it. Sometimes, the Chinese place a “floating barrier” across the shoal’s only entrance. This means that Filipino fisherfolk — should they even find themselves near Bajo de Masinloc — are unable to enter its “lagoon.” 

China’s actions in Scarborough are direct violations of the 2016 Arbitral Award’s findings — that since it’s a common resource for fisherfolk of several nations, Bajo de Masinloc should be accessed by all (Filipino, Vietnamese, and Chinese). Beijing, of course, refuses to recognize the award. 

The 2016 Arbitral Award did not decide on who has sovereignty over Scarborough, since this was beyond the tribunal’s scope. The tribunal, however, ruled that China’s 9-dash-line, which encompasses most of the South China Sea, was invalid and that the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), where Scarborough lies, is intact. 

What proof?  

China’s claims over the South China Sea are vast. Beijing cites historical claims in asserting its territorial claims in the critical waterway — claims the tribunal on the South China Sea arbitration said were invalid. 

The DFA, in its statement, refused to even debate if the supposed letter the Chinese embassy in Manila presented was valid, since it was “of uncertain origin and authenticity, and certainly without value.” 

“There is no merit in debating supposed documentary artifacts produced by third parties and presented as posts on social media, especially if these third parties have vested interests and willfully misconstrue and misrepresent established facts,” said Villanueva. 

To an embassy that’s been on hyperdrive in issuing statements against a wide range of Philippine government agencies and personalities, the DFA said: “China must be reminded that maritime and territorial claims are subject to established international legal procedures and dispute settlement mechanisms — not to unilateral proclamations or social media posts. China’s persistent evasion of proper international legal scrutiny speaks volumes: it betrays the utter baselessness of its positions. A state confident in the legality of its claims does not shy away from international adjudication. China’s conduct is a tacit admission that its claims cannot withstand legal scrutiny.” 

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Villanueva said the department would “welcome” should Beijing be open to participate before arbitration before the International Court of Justice, but could not answer if this was already part of Manila’s immediate plans, or if arbitration is even on the table in bilateral discussions with Beijing. 

Since scoring a win in the 2016 Arbitral Award, Manila has mostly struggled in its enforcement — especially since Beijing has grown more aggressive in flouting its findings and long-standing international norms. 

The Philippines, primarily through the DFA, has been keen on improving bilateral ties with China especially as it tries to finish the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea talks as Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) chair. 

Villanueva seemingly addressed this delicate balance — of trying to improve ties with China while also effectively pushing back against its bullying. While the department “welcomes” dialogue with Beijing, “the Philippines makes one thing unequivocally clear: engagement is not concession.” 

“Our pursuit of dialogue reflects a calibrated and principled commitment to peaceful dispute settlement — it does not, in any manner, dilute or qualify the Philippines’ firm, unequivocal positions in the West Philippine Sea. Our sovereignty is non-negotiable. Our resolve is absolute,” he said. – Rappler.com