The Philippines has rejected the 2023 standard map of China, which includes the West Philippine Sea as part of its territory, and become the third nation to ward off Beijing's attempt to assert its purported sovereignty over territories it claims as its own.
Manila on Thursday, Aug. 31, joined New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur in dismissing Beijing's newly-released map, which features a 10-dash line that signifies that China owns the entire South China Sea, overlapping with the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brunei.
The new map also lays claim to the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin Plateau.
"The Philippines rejects the 2023 version of China’s Standard Map issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the People's Republic of China on August 28, 2023, because of its inclusion of the nine-dashed line (now a ten-dashed line) that supposedly shows China's boundaries in the South China Sea," the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement.
"This latest attempt to legitimize China's purported sovereignty and jurisdiction over Philippine features and maritime zones has no basis under international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," it added.
The DFA asserted that the 2016 Arbitral Ruling issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has already invalidated China's dash-line claim, which was previously nine.
"It categorically stated that 'maritime areas of the South China Sea encompassed by the relevant part of the 'nine-dash line' are contrary to the Convention and without lawful effect to the extent that they exceed the geographic and substantive limits of China's maritime entitlements under the Convention,'" DFA said.
In a press conference on Thursday, DFA Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu said the Philippines might also consider including in its statement about Manila's position on China's latest map when President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. meets his ASEAN counterparts during the 43rd ASEAN Summit in September.
The official said he cannot yet give the Philippines' "final text on that because it is still being negotiated."
"Definitely there are external partners who support us," Espiritu added, although he expressed uncertainty if there would be a consensus support from the regional bloc.
Following backlash, China has asked affected countries to remain "calm" and must "refrain from over-interpreting the issue."
Wang Wenbin, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman, said it was only "a routine practice" for China to release a map signifying the supposed extent of its territory, that was only its "exercise of sovereignty in accordance with law."
The release of the map came at the heels of China's aggression in the South China Sea, including by deploying navy ships and harassing foreign personnel, including Filipinos, patrolling the vast ocean.
The DFA called on China "to act responsibly" and abide by its obligations under UNCLOS and 2016 Arbitral Award, which the agency said is "final and binding."