The United States has supported President Marcos’ signing into law of two maritime laws that have affirmed the Philippines’ sovereignty over its maritime zone.
Matthew Miller, spokesman for the US Department of State, said the passing into law of the Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act is a routine matter and further clarifies the country’s maritime law.
It aligns Philippine domestic laws with the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention and the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling, and defines the Philippines internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf in line with the Convention.
“Many other nations, including fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, have enacted similar legislation over the years,” Miller said.
“The United States values Philippine leadership in upholding international law, particularly in the South China Sea, and calls on all states to comport their maritime claims to the international law of the sea as reflected in the Convention,” he added.
Marcos on Friday, Nov. 8, signed the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, which declares the Philippine sovereignty and defines sovereign rights over the maximum extent of its maritime zones, such as internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones (EEZ) and continental shelf in compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), existing laws and treaties.
The Philippines' EEZ, institutionally called the West Philippine Sea, covers the 200-nautical miles of waters from the country's coast; and part of which is being claimed by China as part of its territory.
He also signed the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, which ensures the protection of the country’s sovereignty and maritime domain by designating the routes and areas that shall be utilized and accessed by foreign military vessels and foreign-registered aircraft for passage, under the UNCLOS and the Chicago Convention.
Following the signing of the two laws, China expressed its strong objection, and even summoned Manila’s envoy to Beijing, Jaime FlorCruz.
Mao Ning, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said the law incorporated supposed parts of China's territory into the Philippines' maritime zone and attempted to "solidify" the South China Sea Arbitration Ruling in the form of domestic law.
For her, parts of the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act also “are not compatible with regulations of international law and resolutions of the International Maritime Organization."