China claims sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, pointing to a line on its maps that cuts into the EEZs of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory, has also said it does not accept Beijing’s maps.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 said the line on China’s maps had no legal basis, which Beijing rejects.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reiterated his support for the arbitral ruling during a meeting with his Manila counterpart in Jakarta. Both have denounced harassments by China towards Philippine vessels conducting the resupply mission.
Since the grounding of the Sierra Madre ship at the atoll in 1999 in Manila’s attempt to assert its sovereignty claim, China has repeatedly called on the Philippines to tow away the vessel, based on a supposed agreement, which Manila reiterated did not exist.
“The Philippines has not entered into any agreement abandoning its sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its EEZ and continental shelf, including in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal,” Daza said.
The Second Thomas Shoal lies 190km off the Philippine island of Palawan, or well within Manila’s EEZ.
China’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Source: CNA
