Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima has called out China's seemingly escalating arrogance in connection with two recent developments involving the Asian giant.

"China’s recent action reaches a new level of arrogance and of spreading disinformation and propaganda in asserting what is not theirs," De Lima, the House senior deputy minority leader, said in a statement.

"It also demonstrate a lack of sincerity in genuinely resolving issues in the region," she added.

De Lima was referring to Beijing's ballistic missile test launch in the South Pacific, and certain Chinese scholars' assertion during an academic symposium that Batanes was a natural geographical extension of Taiwan with sovereignty belonging to China.

"Launching a ballistic missile into the Pacific just to brag their military power, without any regard for the geo-political tensions it may trigger in the region, is highly inconsiderate. We strongly condemn this self-aggrandizing act," the former senator said.

"At hindi pa nakuntento sa pag-angkin sa ating teritoryo sa West Philippine Sea (WPS), pati Batanes, tsinitsismis na rin ng Chinese scholars na bahagi raw ng teritoryo ng China. Nuknukan ng pagkagarapal at kasinungalingan ang ganitong pahayag," noted De Lima.

(And not content with claiming our territory in the WPS, Chinese scholars are also spreading rumors that Batanes is part of China’s territory. Such a statement is the height of brazenness and falsehood.)

The party-list congresswoman--among the leading voices for the WPS in Congress--decried "China’s continued provocations".

"It is all the more important that we continue to assert our sovereign rights, pursue a more pro-active and assertive stance in defending what is ours, and engage with our regional allies to enforce the law of the sea and uphold a rules-based international order," said De Lima, also a former Department of Justice (DOJ) secretary.

De Lima went on to hurl more jabs toward the superpower.

"What is ours is supported by our Constitution and by international law. This cannot be erased by an entitled bully who displays its might by harassing, threatening and intimidating others," she said.

Incidentally, Sunday, July 12 marked the 10th anniversary of the Philippines' victory in its arbitration case against China on the WPS issue. She calls it "West Philippine Sea Victory Day" by default.

In this regard, De Lima cautioned Filipinos about the proliferation of fake news on the WPS.

"As fake news and disinformation about the WPS continue to spread, we must ensure that every Filipino, especially the youth, understands our rights and the significance of the arbitral ruling," she said.

"Kaya naman patuloy ang ating panawagan sa agarang pagsasabatas ng isinusulong natin na pagdedeklara ng July 12 bilang National West Philippine Sea Victory Day at ng pagsasama ng usapin ukol sa WPS sa edukasyon ng ating kabataan," De Lima noted.

(That is why we continue to call for the immediate passage of our proposed measure declaring July 12 as National West Philippine Sea Victory Day and for the inclusion of the WPS issue in the education of our youth.)

Commenting on the anniversary, De Lima said: "Ten years have passed since the Philippines achieved a historic victory at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands. That landmark ruling affirmed before the world that, under both our Constitution and international law, the [WPS] is ours. We uphold our national dignity."

"We stood before the arbitral tribunal to assert the sovereign rights of the Philippines and protect what rightfully belongs to our people. But one thing is clear: That commitment should not end with the ruling," she underscored.

The PCA ruling invalidated China’s expansive nine-dash line claim over the South China Sea. Beijing has never recognized it.