PH summons Chinese envoy to protest Bajo de Masinloc baselines

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian on Wednesday to deliver the Philippines’ protest over China’s drawing of baselines around Bajo de Masinloc on November 10.

In a statement, Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Teresita Daza emphasized that the baselines infringe upon Philippine sovereignty and contravene international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

“The said baselines have no legal basis and are not binding on the Philippines,” said Daza.

China’s drawing of baselines came after the Philippines’ passage of its maritime and archipelagic sea lanes law.

The Chinese government has maintained its opposition to the Philippines’ new maritime law as it delimited and declared Beijing’s “baselines” of the territorial sea adjacent to Scarborough Shoal.

In a press conference on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said the Philippine Maritime Zones Act “illegally included” Panatag Shoal – which they call Huangyan Dao – into the country’s maritime zones.

“The act also aims to further solidify the illegal arbitral award on the South China Sea in the form of domestic legislation. This move severely violates China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. We strongly condemn and firmly oppose it,” said Mao.

She also claimed that China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea are solidly grounded in history and the law.

According to her, China will firmly oppose any “infringement activities and provocations” by the Philippines in the South China Sea based on the law.

READ: PH wins arbitration case over South China Sea 

China’s continued aggression in Philippine waters is borne out of a sweeping claim over most of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea.

It, however,  has long been dismissed by an arbitral tribunal.