Beijing’s reiteration of South China Sea claim ‘joke’ – PH Navy

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea – Philippine Navy, speaks to the members of the media during AFP Weekly Press Briefing at Philippine Navy Headquarters, Manila City on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. PHOTOS: Arnel Tacson, INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Beijing’s reiteration of its 10-dash-line claim over the South China Sea is nothing but a “joke,” a Philippine Navy official said on Tuesday.

During a press conference, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad was asked about China’s claim.

READ: Palawan was never part of China – NHCP

“It is a joke designed merely for entertainment purposes. It is absurd, no legal basis. It is beyond normal imagination. Take it as a joke,” he said.

He also said that spreading this type of information could be targeted to anyone — from China’s local community, the Filipino population to international audiences.

“Suffice it to say we have a lot of international jurisprudence that would support the stand of the Philippines. We have the 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling, our constitution,” Trinidad said.

On February 28 this year, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) denounced the false claim circulating on Chinese social media Rednote that the island of Palawan once belonged to China.

According to the post, Palawan was once a Chinese territory and China had governed it for about a millennium.

The post also stated that the Philippines should return Palawan to China, claiming that its original name was “Zheng He Island” after the famous 14th-century Chinese explorer.

“It is very clear that Palawan is part of our archipelago and pronouncements like this by a foreign power should be taken with a grain of salt,” Trinidad said.

Former Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares pointed out the need for increased maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea. He also called China “delusional” over its Palawan claim.

Beijing asserts sovereignty in almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea.

In 2012, Manila and Beijing had a tense standoff over Panatag Shoal, with the former withdrawing its ships from the shoal, which led to the latter having effective control of its lagoon to date.

A year later, Manila lodged an arbitration case against Beijing after this standoff which led to a historic 2016 arbitral award that effectively rejected the latter’s sweeping claims in the West Philippine Sea through its nine-dash line, now ten-dash-line after the inclusion of another line in the eastern section of Taiwan in 2023.