Manila Calls on China to Respect Philippine Sovereignty
(MENAFN) On Thursday, Manila called on China to acknowledge and respect the Philippines' jurisdiction over the contested waters in the South China Sea.
The Philippine government emphasized its legal rights to conduct regular maritime activities and scientific investigations in the area.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Teresita Daza stated that the Philippines is entitled to carry out these operations based on the "fundamental fact" that the "Pag-asa Island and the Pag-asa Cays form part of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), which is an integral part of the Philippines over which it has longstanding sovereignty and jurisdiction."
She reiterated that these islands have been recognized as Philippine territory for a considerable time.
These statements came in response to recent comments from the Chinese Embassy in Manila regarding Philippine activities near Thitu (Pag-asa) Island—referred to as Zhongye Dao in Chinese and Dao Thị Tur in Vietnamese.
The embassy had claimed via Facebook that Manila conducted 27 "unauthorized landings involving 167 personnel on uninhabited features in the South China Sea" since the beginning of the year.
In reply, the Philippine Foreign Ministry "rejects and refutes" these allegations, asserting that its actions constitute a legitimate exercise of national sovereignty and align with international law.
Daza urged Beijing to honor the Philippines’ sovereignty and jurisdiction, stressing the importance of resolving disputes peacefully and legally.
The spokeswoman firmly declared that "China has no right to object, much less interfere with these lawful and routine activities," underscoring Manila’s commitment to protecting its territorial rights in the region.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
